
Cause and Prevention 
of Uneven Yarn 



Reprint of Articles Which Appeared 
on the Discussion Pages of the ^ > 
SOUTHERN TEXTILE BULLETIN 
During December, 1915, and Which 
Were Submitted in Competition for 
the Be^ Pradical Article on "Cause 
and Prevention of Uneven Yarn".3«> 



PRICE 75 CENTS 



CLARK PUBLISHING COMPANY 
CHARLOTTE, N. C. 




The Choice of a 
Humidifying Sy^em 

must be one that for simplicity with great 
capacity and economy in maintenance pro- 
duces uniformly such conditions that may 
be determined for the different require- 
ments of the work. In the American 
Moistening Company's method of humid- 
ifying, all such requirements are guaranteed. 

Our Comins Sedional Humidifiers 

Our Fan Type and High Duty Humidifiers 

Our Ventilating Type of Humidifier (taking fresh 

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Our Atomizer or Compressed Air Sy^em 
Our Compressed Air-Cleaning Sy^em 
Our Conditioning Room Equipment 
Our Automatic Humidity Control (can be appHed to 

systems already installed ) 
Our Automatic Temperature Control 

Are all Standards of Modern Textile Mill Equipment. 



AMERICAN MOISTENING COMPANY 

120 FRANKLIN STREET, BOSTON, MASS. 

WILLIAM FIRTH, Pres. FRANK B. COMINS. Vice-Pres. & Treas. 

We have been manufacturing Humidifiers 

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The Judges. 

C. \. Poore 

Supt. Louisville Cotton Mills 
Louisville, Ky. 

J. R. Killian 

Supl. Cannon Mfg. Co. 
Concord, N. G. 

John S. Stroud 

Supt. Stonewall Cotton Mills 
Stonewall, Miss. 

R. P. Sweeney 

Supt. Social Circle Mills 
Social ('ircle, (ia. 

.Milton Ensor 

Supt. Wampum Mills 
Lincolnton, N. C. 

L, F. Kelley 

Supt. Elk Cotton Mills 
Dalton. Ga. 

J. \. Shinn 

Gen. Supl. Eva .lane and Central 

Mills 

Sylacauga, Ala. 



INDEX. 

Page No. 

F. L. Abernethy 77 

J. A. Adams 83 

E. F. Anderson 92 

A. C. Atkinson 3,: 

R. M. Barnham 74 

B. M. Bowen 65 

A. B. Brown 25 

W. T. Bvrd 67 

M. R. Chrystal 34 

John Curwen 57 

J. L. Davis 40 

T. J. Digby 16 

B. L. Doby 78 

J. 0. Edwards 36 

J. B. Flovd 94 

E. L. Goble. "...85 

R. F. Harris 44 

T. W. Harvey 12 

W. Cr. Henderson &■) 

Eugene Herring 38 

J. H. Jenkins 80 

W. J. Jennings 90 

J. M. Jolly 52 

N. V. Jones 18 

L. W. King 93 

L. C. Langsfon 8 

W. P. Lee 69 

C. H. I.ockman 84 

J. H. Mayes. Jr 61 

Ct. L. Meacham in 

G. B. McCrackan 29 

H. B. McAbee 89 

J. R. Manlv 59 

T. R. Morton 3 

Paul Nuchols 41 

James Gates 74 

J. W. Ouzts ^27 

J. A. Parker 71 

R. V. Porter '. 5 

A. J. Rodgnrs .14 

T. L. Sanders. Jr .....55 

E. L. Shpridan [ * 87 

C. H. Strickland 42 

riias. M. Stny 2C 

L. R. Summpy 76 

J. A. Sorrplls. 4p 

E. G. Waifs 79 

R. A. Whatlev ^ 

N. L. WhittPn '.'.'.'.' iS 

\V. E. Williams 63 

E. B. Wisp '.'.'.'.'.22 

\V. G. Young <^o 



Cause and Prevention of Uneven Yarn 



Winner of First Prize 



By T. R. MORTON, Edenton, N. G. 



It is not the intention of the 
writer to discuss this subject except 
from a practical standpoint. Cause 
and prevention of uneven yarn is a 
problem that we have to face more 
or less every day, and the only way 
to make an even yarn is to be on 
(he lookout for small things at all 




T. H. .Alortoii. 

Edenton, N. C. 

times. To make an even yarn we 
must, have a uniform staple, the 
carder should get out his mixing 
and grade his cotton, try to get the 
staple as near the same as possible, 
open as many bales at one time as 
the space in opening room will per- 
mit. Have the man whose duty it 
is to feed the hopper to keep this 
machine about two-thirds full at all 
times. This may seem too small a 
matter for some to pay much atten- 
tion to, but if we expect to get an 
even lap on the neater we must 
have an even feed from hopper. 
The breaker laps should be weigh- 



ed two or three times each day and 
kept as near one weight as possible. 
Close attention should be given to 
the pickers as it is very desirable 
that we make good even laps. Do 
not allow finished laps to vary in 
weight over 1-4 of a pound either 
way. If they are too light or too 
heavy have picker man to set them 
back and run over, or the card 
sliver will be uneven. 
Cards. 

The cards do not receive the at- 
tention by some that they should. 
Bad work made on these machines 
will show itself during each process. 
The cards should be ground every 
15 or 20 days, with good grinding 
emery, the grinding rolls should be 
covered with new emery after 10 or 
15 cards has been ground'. If we 
expect the cards to turn off a good 
even sliver free from foreign mat- 
ter we must keep the wires sharp. 
The licker-in should be kept in good 
shape and set as close as the staple 
will permit. A lot of uneven work 
is caused on the cards from split 
■aps. If the lap splits and runs into 
the card double, the sliver will be 
too heavy. The card hand should 
be watched very closely and made 
to get all singlings or doublings out 
of cans on front of cards. Keep the 
cards clean so the dirt and trash 
won't get into the good stock. If 
the card hands let the sliver cans 
get too full the sliver will be stretch- 
ed and be too tight. When strip- 
ping cards a good idea is to strip 
every other card after these have 
run about an hour, then fmish strip- 
ping. The sliver will run lighter 
when the card has just been strip- 
ped than after the card has been 
stripped awhile, so if we only strip 
half the cards at one time, we only 
get half the light sliver that we will 
if we strip all cards toeether. 
Drawing Frames. 

Drawing frames are the simplest 
machines in the mill, for that reason 
they receive less care. These ma- 
chines should be looked after very 
carefuly. The rolls should be kept 



in good condition and properly oil- 
ed. The stop-motion should work 
perfectly or we will get light and 
heavy sliver. If a sliver breaks on 
the back of frame or cans run 
empty and the stop-motion works a 
little slow, we will have 5 ends up 
instead of 6 and the sliver on the 
front of machine will be 1-6 too 
light, or if an end is lapped on the 
back of frame for two or three 
inches we will have 7 ends up in- 
stead of 6. The sliver on front of 
frame will be 1-7 too hea\T- By 
the time this sliver reaches the 
spinning frames it will be stretched 
several inches and the yarn will be 
uneven. 

Keep an eye on the drawing hand 
when he gets behind and see that he 
dont slip cans of sliver from the 
front of first drawing to slubbers in 
order to catch up quickly. See that 
all parts of machines are oiled at 
the right time, and that the weights 
are hung right and that there is 
plenty of weight on top rollers. See 
that top and under clearers are 
picked clean once every hour. Keep 
all bad rolls out of frames; don"t 
allow rolls to stay in frames that 
need varnishing; don't allow the 
drawing tender to let the cans get 
too full on front of machine, as this 
well stretch the sliver. If you have 
can stop-motion see that it is in 
working order. Size the drawing 
sliver at least 6 times each day, and 
don"t fail to change the draft gear if 
the weight isn't right. All numbers 
should be kept on drawing and if 
watched closely at this point it 
will hardly ever become necessary 
to change draft gears on fly frames 
or spinning frames. 

> Fly Frames. 

Slubbers, intermediates and 
sfieeder.* must receive proper atten- 
tion if even roving is to be made. It 
is possible for the picking, carding 
and drawing to be almost perfect 
and then bad. uneven roving to be 
made on lly frames. The rolls on 
fly frames should be cleaned once 
each day and oiled regularly. The 
bottom steel rolls should he taken 
out of frames and cleaned with card 
clothing and whitiig once a year. 
It IS necessary to keep the tlutes 
clean on steel rolls if even work is 
made. The roving must have enough 
twist so it wont break in creels. 
If too soft, it wont have strength 
enough to pull itself and the results 
are the roving will stretch and this 
will cause thin places. The tension 



on fly frames is very important and 
should be watched very closely by 
the overseer, for if tension is too 
tight roving will be uneven and full 
of thin places, if too slack it will 
wind too loose on bobbin and make 
a soft bobbin, and this will break- 
back and stretch in creel at next 
process. This means uneven work. 
Special care should be given to the 
creeling of intermediates and speed- 
ers, as bad creeling means uneven 
work. Every doubling and singling 
made on fly frames means bad run- 
ning spinning and weak and heavy 
yarn. 

Things to Watch Around Fly 
Frames. 

See that the roving travis works 
freely and makes full stroke. Have 
frame lined and leveled once ever 
year. Keep all worn spindles and 
bolsters out of frames, have stops 
oiled every two weeks. See that no 
roving is wound around the back 
steel rolls as this will raise the top • 
leather roll and stretch the roving. 
Do not let frame hands run frames 
too full, as this will chafe and cut 
the roving. Keep all bad bobbins ofif 
spindles as a bad bobbin will vibrate 
or shake and make the roving un- 
even. Have section men to keep all 
bad rollers out of frames as a bad 
roller means bad work. Never put 
a new roller in frame without oil- 
ing it. nor allow frame hands to 
fan off, as the flyings will get on 
the stock in process and make 
lumpy roving. Have spindles oiled 
every Monday and Thursday. We 
must pay attention to the small 
things if we make even work. 
Draft in Card Room. 

•If good running work and even 
roving is made then drafts must be 
righ' at each process. For a 4.50 
hank roving on speeders made from 
from 1-inch staple cotton, would ad- 
vise the following drafts: 98 on 
cards. 6 on drawing. 4.35 on slub- 
bers. 5.35 on intermediates. 6 on 
speeders. The writer has tried this 
and has gotten good results 
Spinning Department. 

Everv thing in the spinning room 
depends on how clean we keep the 
frames. As to what kind of yarn 
we turn out. the carder may make 
almost perfect roving and if the 
managomoiil in Ihf spinning doosii"t 
watch and look after the cleaning 
at this point, bad yarn will be the 
result. The frames should be lined 
and leveled once every year. The 
roving creels must be level and in 



line so there wont be any undue 
IJull on the roving. The oiling is a 
very important factor in this de- 
partment. Special attention should 
be given to the top rolls which 
should be oiled at least twice a 
week. Spindles should be oiled 
every three weeks. A dry spindle 
will vibrato and niako unoven yarn. 
Banding. 
llie bands should be tied on by a 
particular person and one that can 
be (rusted, as a slack band will re- 
duce the speed of the spindle and 
make soft, uneven yarn. The bands 
should be made of roving and 
weigh about one pound to 120 bands, 
Dont make bands out of yarn, as a 
yarn band will stretch and not come 
otr when it lirst gets slack 

Thinfls to Watch and Do in Spin- 
ning Kooni. 

Spindles should be plumbed and 
set in center of rings, guide wires 
set to top of spindle. Keep all bad 
spindles and bolsters out of frames. 
Dont use guide wires that have 
grooves worn in them. See that 
roving creels are in line and per- 
fect I v level. See that roving sticks 
are m good shape and that the bot- 
toms are not worn blunt, as thev 
must turn freely or the roving will 
be stretched. Do not allow bad or 
worn bobbins to be used as a worn 
bobbins will vibrate and make un- 
even yarn. Have roving creels 
wiped once each day. for if lint and 
cotton arp allowed to collect around 
the end of the roving stick, it will 



be hard to pull and the roving will 
be stretched. Have all top rolls 
picked every day for dirty rolls 
make more uneven yarn than any- 
thing else in spinning. Have some 
one to inspect all rolls once a day 
and see that all bad or worn rolls 
are kept out of frames as a bad 
roller can't make any thing but bad 
and uneven yarns. Have guides run 
or wiped out every 30, minutes. If 
Imt is allowed to collect at this 
point, it will catch on the yarn and 
show up in lumps, and these lumps 
wdl hang in the thread guides on 
winders or spoolers and stretch the 
yarn. Have all travelers changed 
every 3 weeks, as a worn traveler 
will cut and chafe the yarn. Do not 
allow roving to wind around the 
steel rolls and stay there, as this 
will raise the top leather roll and 
make the yarn uneven, keep all 
lumps of cotton out of the trumpets 
as this will make the roving draw- 
hard and make the yarn weak. Keep 
all worn rings off of frame for good 
even yarn cannot be spun on a bad 
ring. Don't allow the spinners to let 
3 strands of roving run into one 
end where two is all that is neces- 
sary. Make dolTers piece up as soon 
as frame is started after doffing, as 
a lot of doublings and choked rolls 
will be saved by this. If the varn 
IS made right in the carding "and 
spinning departments we will not 
have much trouble in the other 
rooms. If we will watch the little 
thmgs the big ones will take care 
of themselves. 



Winner of Second Prize 



By R. V. PORTER, Batesburg. S. C. 



This subject has probably been 
studied since the first cotton varn 
was spun and improvements made 
before my time ,and I can see where 
.great improvements have been made 
m the past twenty years, but at the 
present time with all improved ma- 
chinery and all the graduates of the 
textile schools, I failed to know of a 
mill that is making perfect even 
yarn. Anyway, we all are trying to 
get it better. 

However, some men can make 
more even yarn than others. Some 
men can make a more even varn 
at one mill than he can at another, 
even if both mills be equipped alike, 
if other conditions differ. 

Sorry cotton will make uneven 



yarn, therefore good stiff land 
should be selected for cotton. The 
land should be prepared deep, in 
the month of January or February. 
It should be planted with good seed 
from a good even grade of cotton. 
The cotton plant should be culti- 
vated shallow, to prevent in.jurv to 
the roots, and fast enough to 'keep 
It growing, for should it get stunt- 
ed for the want of cultivation or 
by growing it too thick on the land 
we will have a sorry cotton, which 
will not work well. It will not draft 
well, therefore it will make uneven 
yarn. Cotton should be picked 
from the burrs as free from trash 
and dirt as possible. It should be 
ginned very carefully, not to let it 



get cut or taking olT small pieces 
of seed with the lint, for gin-cut 
cotton or cotton that is ginned too 
close, leaving small parts of seed 
and motes in the lint, will not work 
even and will make uneven yarn. 
A cotton graaer is a valuable man 
to a mill if he will attend to his bus- 
iness. He should see that the mill 
gets what it pays for and not allow 
just any old thing to be dumped on 
the mill, even if he be a good friend 
to the seller. But with a good 
grader it is best for the superinten- 
dent or the overseer of carding to 
inspect every bale of cotton that is 
brought to the mill and reject or 
lay asido all bales that are not up 
to standard, and should he find sev- 




R. V. Porter, 

Batesburg, S. G. 

eral bales which he would with the 
ordinary grader, in a short while he 
would have enough to run the mill a 
week. Then if he wished to run 
the rejected cottxjn the overseer 
would have time to adjust his ma- 
chinary to suit it and could make 
a more even yarn with it than if it 
had been opened up all together and 
run into the pickpr room by the 
outside man without the knowlodpe 
of the overseer of carding \intil it 
was giving: trouble. The more even 
the cotton the more even will be 
the yarn. Therefore superintend- 
ents and overseers of carding should 
have more sayso about looking after 



cotton than some mills allow them. 
Furthermore we can not get even 
yarn with good cotton mixed with 
a poor grade of short punk cotton 
for it will not draft even and a 
sorry punk cotton will lly out while 
being run through tlie machines and 
cause the yarn to be light and un- 
even. Before starting to open one 
should have plenty of cotton to start 
with. Thoroughly mix it in the 
opening room twelve hours before 
putting in the breaker feeders, which 
should be kept as near half full all 
the time as possible. Otherwise the 
breaker laps will vary several 
pounds, and this will cause uneven 
yarn. We can not expect even work 
from the first pickers unless the 
laps were even to start with, nor 
with the breaker laps splitting or a 
cone belt slack enough to slip or a 
lap apron slipping. Sometimes a 
clutch gear or a knock off gear will 
cause a lap to vary and should be 
looked after as well as the evener. 
The evener belts and all of its at- 
tachments should be looked after, 
kept clean, and well oiled, so each 
part can be depended on to do its 
duty when the slightest variation 
takes place. 

When putting a set of laps on 
pickers I think it well to start with 
two or four sizes. Say 1-4, 1-2, 3-4 
and full, or half of them 1-2 full 
and the others full which will pre- 
vent them all running out at once, 
which will give the tender more 
time to replace them and will make 
a more even lap than if all had been 
put on full at one time to run out 
together. When replacing new laps 
they should be pieced in and 
not lap one end of the lap over the 
other. If so it makes a heavy place 
and is uneven. Lap racks on the 
machine should be kept level, or 
otherwise one end of lap will be 
larger than the other and uneven. 

Now we come to the fmisher. This 
is one place where I think any mill 
that expects first-class work should 
allow his carder to have a compe- 
tent man, one who can be depended 
on at all times to weigh the laps 
and see that every thing goes right, 
for if the weights or numbers on 
the finisher are not right there is 
no other to remedy it and the yarn 
will be uneven. Every yard in a 
lap should be made to weieh the 
samp as welf as to have the laps 
wpjph alike. 

Cardinfj. 

Cards should be kept in good or- 



der. Use the best of clothing. Keep will cause uneven yarn. Drawing 
them properly ground and set to boys should be watched. Some- 
suit the stock being carded, so as to tunes they may ha\e an end to run 
lay the fibers straight and get out slack. Instead of reporting the 
as much motes and trash as possible, trouble, they will put some cotton 
for the better cotton is carded the in the st-and between the top and 
more even it works. One can not do bottom rolls which will stretch the 
good carding with sorry clothing, or drawing and it will be uneven, 
wornout clothing or with flat places Intermediates and speeders should 
being mashed on the clothing, by be kept in good order as well as 
letting things get into the card that slubbers with good stands, good 
should not. When replacing a lap bottom and top rolls, remembering 
it should be pieced in and not lap- that a worn neck, a worn stand, a 
ped over the other end as some crooked roll will make an uneven 
tender.s do, for it will cause a heavy roving. Trumpets that are not uni- 
place in the sliver and uneven yarn, form, or bent, or half choked will 
Coiler heads should be looked after ^iso cause roving to be uneven, 
and see that the sprmg, or bonnet xention being too tight will cause 
tongue, which holds the trumpet roving to stretch, which will find 
down m the coder head is not brok- ^^^ ^.^y into uneven yarn. When 
en. If this spring or bonnet tongue replacing roving in creels it should 
is broken the card end or sliver will ]^q spliced or broken very short for 
run slack, get onto the floor and if tbis is one place where a great deal 
the tloor is dirty it will likely take ^f uneven roving is made, caused by 
up all the loose waste it comes in ^ frame hand who usually starts at 
contact with, which will cause it to o^e end of frame to replace the rov- 
be uneven. The tender will prob- j^g jj^ ^le backs. Sometimes they 
ably put some cotton under them jet several bobbins run out before 
to take up the slack. Will make replacina them. Then singling is 
some run tighter than others. Then jjgj^g ^^^^de. They verv often let 
we have uneven sliver. All strip- f^om one to two yards of extra rov- 
per plates should be set the same j^g get in, which causes it to be 
so as to get the same per cent of heavy. Then if the ends, which 
strips from each card. If set close bave the singling in them, begin to 
you will not get much waste while r^n slack they will sometimes run 
if set far oflf the quantity will be an extra end in it from behind, 
larger, while the sliver of different which will cause light roving and 
cards will be uneven if not set cor- heavy roving as well as uneven 
rect. All card and drawing cans roving to be on the same bobbin for 
should be kept smooth inside and the spinning frame 

in? hi"i!-v°Vni^.'i^nl';PH . Jl'hLf^n''l= I ^vill meution a few causes that 
not be kicked around and bent in as jjj j ^.^^^ ^^^-^^ being 

the sliver ;2?"jlot come out free. ^^^ „^g prevention is to kee? 

^l c '" Til^^^J^^LSUKuSh everything about the frame in first- 
if so, we have an uneven sliver ^^^J condition and clean, namely: 
w^nen it. lakes piace. uniform trumpets, creel stands he- 
Draw Frames. jug broken or misplaced, roving 
By all means keep the stands, roll skewers being broken or bruised at 
necks and rolls, spoons and stop- bottom, while bobbins are resting 
motions in good condition, for a on them preventing an even pull, 
crooked roll will make an uneven Spinners replacing roving, allowing 
sliver. A worn neck or stand will from six inches to two yards of etxra 
make an uneven sliver. A dirty roving to run in instead of breaking 
bottom roll will make an uneven it off short, worn stands, bad rolls, 
sliver and if stop-motions fail to crooked steel rolls will make an un- 
work properly we have singlings even, weak yarn. If ring rails are 
which will cause uneven sliver, badly out of level or rings not prop- 
Stop-motions or spoons should work erly nlaced in ring rail, the yarn 
so as to stop the machine as soon doesn"! soem to havp tlip saino tonfion 
as the card sliver leaves it. Leav- and is to some extent uneven. Lev- 
ing enough end for the tender to ors out of level or resting on creel 
piece to instead of sticking the new boards will make yarn uneven also, 
end in with some times a yard or Dirty rolls, especially with a thin 
so of extra card sliver going through coat of cotton or roving getting 
the rolls. If so. w^e have a heavy around back or middle steel roll 
place in the drawing sliver which will cause uneven yarn also. 

7 



A spindle dry for the want of oil, 
or a spindle which is badly out of 
plumb, or a guide wire which is out 
of set, will cause the yarn to be 
uneven as well as weak. 

If draft gears are set too deep, the 
rolls do not run steady, therefore 
the yarn is uneven. If travelers are 
too heavy the yarn is stretched to 
some extent and is uneven; and if 
light enough fo be continually whip- 



ping against the separator it is un- 
even also; if roving is drafted too 
long the yarn is uneven: if steel 
rolls are not properly oiled they are 
inclined to quiver and do not draft 
the roving even, therefore the yarn 
is uneven. If spinners let two rov- 
ings run in where it should be one, 
or three where it should be two, or 
fail to pick out all the doublings 
made on the speeder the yarn will 
be heavv and uneven. 



.NiiiuImm" Three. 



by L. C. LAiN(iSTON, Louisville, Ky. 



There are numbers of things to 
contend with to keep from making 
uneven yarn. The man who does 
the buying and n^ixing must be fa- 
miliar with his job and be a good 
judge of cotton. In selecting stock 
for a mixing, every bale should he 
examined to see that you have prac- 
tically an even staple. There should 
not be bales with 7-.S inch staple 




L. C. Langston 

Louisville, Ky. 

mixed with 1 1-18 inch. If this be 
the case there is certain to be un- 
even yarn. 

Before we go into details with 
the different machines, I would like 
to say right here that we must have 
them properly oiled and cleaned. 
All gears must be in good condition 



and set properly in order to do away 
with, lost motion, which is a com- 
mon cause of uneven yarn. 

Open as many bales as space will 
allow ^fhe more space the better) 
jnid fake a small portion from each 
bale and feed to bale breaker. The 
cotton is then blown to picker room. 
Taking for granted we have a mix- 
ing with practically the same length 
staple, we will now start with the 
breaker. Keep the hoppers about 
3-4 full all the time. If you let it 
run down to say 1-4 full, you will 
produce a light lap. which makes 
unnecessary work for the eveners 
on tlie next process. Weigh breaker 
laps as well as intermediate and 
finisher. Cone belts should be run 
in middle of cones so as to allow 
room either way for belt to shift in 
case of necessity. See that your 
nprons do not slip and if possible 
have a chain drive on aprons. In 
creelincr pickers have two full laps 
and two half full laps on apron at 
same time, in order to get as near 
as possible the same weight on 
aprons. Keep feed rolls free 
from laps. Do not run beaters 
too fast. Keep chokes out of 
screens. Regulate fan dampers as 
tliey need to be, if you don't there 
wili be split laps, which is an evil 
towni'ds making uneven yarn. Keep 
your beater blades in good con- 
ditions and do not let them get blunt 
by any means. Have a good, honest 
man to run finishers and if laps 
do not weigh within 1-4 of a pound 
fach way, they should be set back 
to be run over, especially where 
you have good stock and want to 
make fine numbers. 

We will now'pass to the card, 
which is sometimes called the 
soul of the mill. The card grinder 
should be a man of good judgment 



and sensitive tu touch. In setting in uider to have a good grip on 
up a card, the grnider sliould be stocic when piecing up. The nip- 
carel'ui to get iiis settings parallel, pers should grip the stock tightly 
lor instance, if the Hats are suppos- at all points on cushion plate. See 
ed to be set to a \), they should be that the hearings or brass detach- 
that way on both sides, not to a 9 m^ i-uHs are not worn. If they are 
on one side and a 12 on the other, tim ^eb will appear to he rough 
If the hllet is loose on cylinder and and uneven and will cause lumpy 
doffer you cannot get a close set- combed sliver. Beware of singles 
ting. The lillet should be taken on combers. If any are made see 
oir and rewound or put new lillet that they tender pulls tliem out of 
on. For instance, if you had a cyl- cans. Do not let cans run too full 
inder with loose lillet on one side as tiiis stretches sliver, 
and tight on the other and would Cut drawing is something to be 
undertake to set Hats to a 9 or 10, watched very closely as this is one 
tlie lillet would raise up on the of the main causes of uneven yarn, 
loose side as soon as cotton is put <^Vt drawing is made very easily 

through and would cause flats and ^^ w^U^^be^^e^ w^rn^"^^^^^ 
cylinder to face, Uiereby causing ^^^^ ^^^^g^ ^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^p ^^^^ ^^.jn 
yarn to run flats olT. actually grind the fibres into pieces. • 

The front plates on all cards should where arbors are worn the remedy 
be set the same in order to take is to buy new ones or have old 
out the same amount of toppings, ones repaired. Metallic rolls should 
In putting in new laps, card hands be scoured at least every two weeks 
must not lap ends too much as this if not more often. Where leather 
causes thick places in yarn. After polls are used thcv should be var- 
a card has been stripped the sliver nished at least once a week. See 
should be taken down and not put that there is no stretch in sliver be- 
up until the cylinder has fllled up iwoen front rolls and calender rolls, 
enough to cause the sliver to get if this is not observed "you will flnd 
back to its normal condition. This thick and thin places in yarn, 
is done to avoid thin places or un- Change compensating gear to rem- 
even yarn. Do not allow card edy this. Keep clearers picked 
hands to use flaps, as it causes a clean so as to kep out slugs, 
certain amount of trash to get in wq now come to the first twisting 
sliver, thereby causing lumpy yarn, process in the mill and that is slub- 
There should be no stretch in web hing. if ^ve have a smooth, even 
between doffer and calender roll, drawing sliver it can be ruined very 
To remedy this is to put on the easily by not having the proper 
right compensating gear. Have all draft, twist, lay and tension. A 
your trumpets the same bore. good draft for slubbers is between 

Where there is combing you 3.5 and 4.5. There should be just 
should see that the doubters are in enough twist to pull the bobbin at 
good shape. Keep the sliver plate the next process. If there is too 
polished nicely and by all means much twist it will not draw out 
have your stop motion in order so properly and will cause hard ends 
that when a sliver runs out or and unnecessary piecing, 
breaks down the machine will stop ^p^e roving should be laid on bobbin 
immediately and not allow a sing e -^ , j ^^ possible, not to ride, 
to get through. See that your rolls {^^ ^^^^, ^^^^^ j» ^j^^ ^^^^^-^^ ^^.^^^^ 
are kept clean and free from laps, j^ ^^^^ .^^^^^ important of all and is a 

The ribbon tapper is a good place hard thing to keep regulated. It is 
to produce uneven yarn. If you easy to regulate but is h;ird fo keep 
don't watch the help closely they the' frame tenders to let it alone 
will raise the stop motion and allow after it has been regulated. Frame 
singles to go through. For instance tenders should not be allowed to 
if you have a four-end tapper and fake up or let off on ends. If any 
one end is out, you have 2.5 per ihing is to be done is to have section 
cent lighter stock and this will man change tension gear. At the 
never be overcome. See that the beginning of a set there should be 
rolls are in good condition and free proper bottom cone gear on so that 
from laps. the ends will not start up too tight 

Keep half laps on combers in or too slack. After The proper cone 
good condition. Leather detaching gear is on, put the proper tension 
rolls should be kept well varnished gear on to cause ends to run same 

9 



throughout the set. Taking up on 
ends does not only stretch roving 
(causing thick and thin places) but 
causes tangled bobbins and some- 
times causes frame to run over 
which means lots of unnecessary 
piecing. Do not run bad rolls. See 
that the roving traverse is making 
the proper traverse. If it stands in 
one place grooves will be made in 
roll, which will cause lumpy slub- 
ber roving. Do not fan off machine 
and keep clearers picked good so 
as to keep out stubs. Another thing 
that is overlooked and that is piec- 
ing up ends. The tender should not 
twist ends too hard as it will cause 
hard ends on next process and this 
means uneven yarn. 
The above paragraph will apply 



to intermediates, speeders and jack 
frames with the exception of draft. 
A good draft for intermediates is 
4 to 5, speeders 5 to 6, jacks 6 to 7. 
Watch skewers and skewer sticks 
and see that the sticks are not 
blunt. 

Suppose we have good, even rov- 
ing ready to be spun. It can easily 
be turned into uneven yarn if cer- 
tain things are not observed. First, 
we must have good skewers and 
skewer sticks. Second, we much 
haVe good rolls and keep them well 
oiled. Third, the right traveler 
should be used and spindles must 
be plumb. No fanning off should be 
allowed as slugs are certain to get 
ill y-arn. Poor piecing is another 
evil that produces uneven yarn. 



Number Four. 



By G. L. MEACHAM, West Durham, N. C. 



The "Cause and Prevention of Un- 
even Yarn" is a good subject, as we 
will have it until we commence in the 
field? where the coton is grown and 




V>. L. Mcacljani 

hiirhain. .\. (1. 
give it more attention in the open- 
ing, mixing and picking rooms, than 
most mills do. One more trouble in 
lots of Southern mills is the buying 
of the cotton. Some mills buy cot- 
ton in small lots from, sav the Car- 
lo 



olinas, also Georgia and Alabama 
and probably Mississippi. This cot- 
ton is delivered without being grad- 
ed, and is just stacked in the ware- 
house. The consequence is that the 
carder has to take it just as he 
comes to it. More than likely he 
will have cotton from different 
states in process at the same time 
not properly mixed, which will 
make uneven numbers. 

Now we will take the opening, 
mixing and picking. Some mills 
have room enough to open one day's 
run ahead, and some have not. 
Some mills make down a mix and 
run it the next day. while other 
mills have not room and mix only 
one-half day ahead. I prefer the 
former. Some mills have to open 
and run right off the bale. We will 
first take the mill that has the room 
to mix one day ahead. 

First, if you are nmning 20 bales 
a day, and using cotton from 4 dif-^ 
ferent sections, bring it out and 
open 5 bales from each lot of cot- 
ton. Take a layer of 50 pounds of 
each bale in the first lot and start 
your mixing. Go to the next five 
bales and do likewise. Keep on go- 
ing around until you have mixed 
the 20 bales. In the meantime, take 
all of the waste which you have 
on hand, and work it all through 
your mix in thin layers, just as you 
put down your mix. 

Next comes the hopper. Make 
the man who feeds the cotton com- 
mence on one side of the mix. and 
beginning at the top of the pile, go 



to the floor. Do not let him pull it set back all laps that vary over 

off the top, but feed straight down one-half pound from the standard 

through the mix, and by doing this weight, you will deliver a good, 

you will have cotton in your hop- even lap to the card, which if hand- 

pers from all the 20 bales, also led properly, will make good even 

some of the waste. You will de- yarn. 

liver to the next process, a nice, We will now take up the cards. It 
even grade of cotton. Should you must be kept sharp and stripped 
not have room to make this mix when necessary. Some men strip 
and have to run right off the bale, twice a day and some 4 times. I am 
and you have cotton from 5 differ- carding a 11-ounce lap, making a 
ent sections, then open 2 bales from 60-grain sliver and I strip my cards 
each section, and have the hopper 4 times a day. Will give a good set- 
man feed from all these bales. See ting for 7-8 to 1 inch cotton for 
that he keeps cotton in the hopper coarse numbers from 9s to 14s. Set 
from all 10 bales at the same time feed plates to 10, licker-in to cylin- 
for by doing this you will get a der to 7, top mote knife to 7, bottom 
good even mix, but not as good as mote knife to 10, top Hats to 10, dof- 
the first. See that hoppers are kept fer to cylinder to 7, dofl'er to comb 
from 2-3 full to full all the time, to 12, stripper plate to 17 at top and 
and you will get a good, even break- 22 at bottom, breast plate to 22, 
er lap. If the hopper man fills the plates between licker-in and flats 
hopper full and then sits down and to 17 at bottom and 22 at top, licker- 
sleeps until the hoppers run empty, in screen to 34, under licker-in, 
then refills them you will have un- main screen to 17 at back, 34 at 
even breaker laps, which will make center of card, 68 at front next to 
uneven yarn. , dofler. Now do not let the card 

The breaker should make laps so hand put up the ends as soon as the 

that when 4 of them are put on the card is stripped, nor allow him to 

intermediate lappers, your evener let the laps run out, or you will 

belt will run in the center of the have your wire bungled up on cylin- 

cones. Now for ordinary cotton and der and top flats. Try and teach the 

numbers the porcupine beater on card hand to lap the ends just as 

the opener should run about 500 short as possible, say about 1 1-2 to 

to 600. turns per minute. The break- 2 inches, otherwwise you will have 

er 2-blade beater should run about a long doubling, and if you are draft- 

1,200 to 1,400 turns per minute and ing as much as 90 inches and the 

should be set to the feed rollers to card hand doubles his laps 4 or 5 

about 1-4 inch, and to the grid bars, inches you will have about 360 

at top of circle, to about 5-16 inch, inches of doublings, making uneven 

at bottom circle about 5-8 inch. - yarn. Also when the card is first 

Next we come to the intermediate stripped the sliver or roll is several 

lapper. Never let the lappers run grains light. See that the card hand 

out, or apron slip, or you will have or stripper lets the roll run 3 or 4 

uneven work. Keep four laps on yards and break this off before 

apron. See that apron does not piecing, or you will have light rolls, 

slip, that machine is well oiled and making uneven yarn, 
cleaned. Replace all worn gears Coming to the drawing frames, 

and bearings and worn journals see that they are kept clean and 

with new ones. Draft from 3 1-2 to properly oiled ,and that the rolls are 

4 inches and run the 2-blade beater correctly set for the grade of cot- 

about 1,200 turns and the fan about ton that you are drawing. See that 

700 turns. Set beater to feed rolls the drawing hands make proper 

about 3-16 inch, set beater to grid splices and that they put the roll at 

bar at top of circle to about 1-4 the proper place before starting the 

inch, at bottom of circle about 7-8 frames. If they start a frame, then 

inch. This will give a nice, clean- throw the end up, the chances are 

lap for the finisher. that you will have a long singling, 

Next comes the finisher lapper making light yarn. For 7-8 to 1 inch 

I think a draft of from 4 to 4 1-2 cotton will suggest the following 

inches is all right for the finisher, setting. First to second roll, 1 3->^ 

If you are using a carding beater, inches from center to center, second 

run fan 800 turns per M. Set beater to third roll, 1 1-2 inches, third to 

to feed roller to about 1-8 inch. Set l3ack roll. 5 5-8 inches. The above 

beater to grid bars at top of circle is for a. 68 to 70 grain drawing sliver, 

to about 3-16 inch, at bottom of The front roll should not run over 

circle to about 3-4 inch, and if you 400 turns, 350 being better to make 

U 



a good even sliver. See that the 
ends run slack. I do not mean sag 
too much, but they should sag the 
least bit. If they are run too tight 
the sliver is damaged and you will 
have weak and uneven yarn. Be 
sure and keep top and bottom clear- 
ers clean. 

The slubber comes next. The first 
thing is to see that the slubber is 
well oiled and all gears are in good 
condition, that you have no lost 
motion and that rolls are properly 
set for tiie stock and numbers be- 
ing run. See that the ends are not 
tight when the slubbers are first 
doffed, and started up. If so, you 
will stretch the roving, damaging the 
work and making uneven yarn. See 
that the slubber tender makes as 
short a splice as possible when 
creeling, or you will have lots of 
doublings, and Just run enough twist 
in the slubbei* roving to make it pull 
off good without breaking back on 
the intermediate. See that the rov- 
ing is wrapped the same number of 
times on each finger and that the 
tender does not run the doffs too full. 
If he does this, the roving will be 
stretched, and you will have weak 
and uneven roving to deliver to the 
next frame, which will make uneven 
yarn. 

Now, we take up the intermediate 
and fiy frames. Too much twist 
makes the roving run badly in the 
next machine. Use as little as pos- 
sible on the intermediates. See that 
the frames are kept clean and prop- 
erly oiled and that all fingers are 
wrapped the same number of times. 
Do not run the ends too tight or you 
will have uneven yarn. Try to keep 
same tension on all frames and 
keep the skewers all in good shape. 
If ony of them : re in bad shape, 
they pull hard and you will have a 
light bobbin from that spindles, 
which will make uneven yarn. Some 



mills let the frame hands, when 
creeling, stick the ends in the rol- 
lers. They pull the other off, but 
they make lots of doublings. I pre- 
fer piecing the ends for if you run' 
'.i inches of doublings in the inter- 
mediates, and you are drafting 5 
inches, you have 15 inches of doub- 
lin^jS to go to the lly frames, and if 
y^u are drafting 6 inches there, you 
>"dve 0X15, or 90 inches of doub- 
.ings to go into the spinning, and if 
you are drafting 10 inches, you will 
have 10X90, or 900 inches of un- 
even yarn which will be heavy. 
See that the fine frame is property 
set and the proper lay gear and 
twist are used. I will not give the 
settings, as most carders have dif- 
ferent settings and of course difi'er- 
ent hank roving and difl'erent grades 
of cotton require different settings. 
See that no singlings or doublings 
go to the spinning frame. 

The spinning is next. You must 
set the rolls as close as possible to 
make a g'ood even yarn, but not 
close enough to make cockley yarn. 
See that all worn roving and skewer 
sets are replaced with new ones and 
that there are no worn necks and 
loose joints in steel rolls. If worn, 
have them re-necked, for worn and 
loose ones make uneven yarn. 

See that all worn rings are turned, 
or replaced with new ones and that 
the travelers are right. Do not get 
your travelers mixed, as that will 
cause bad work and uneven yarn. 

Try to keep the humidity as near 
one thing possible. See that all 
are mixed. There are lots of card- 
ers and spinners today who don't 
know what draft and twist gear they 
have on. They trust to the section 
men to get out the gears and some- 
times the latter are careless and 
mix the gears, uneven yarn being 
the result. 



Number Five. 



By T. W. HARVEY, Cherryville, N. G. 



The making of even yarn may be 
likened to the buildino of a large 
structure that is to carry great 
weight. We must start at the foun- 
dation of any great undertaking if 
we wish it to withstand the various 
storms that will be brought to bear 
on it, whether it be the delicate cot- 
ton fibre or the strongest piece of 
metal known to man. Hence we 
start to make even yarns by select- 

12 



ing stock suitable for the class of 
yarns required. After having done 
this, it is necessary to have a suit- 
able and large enough room to open 
the cotton and thoroughly mix it. 
Poor mixing is one of the greatest 
fa\ilts of our mills today. Now the 
mixing of cotton does not consist 
simply of throwing great big pieces 
of cotton from the bales as they are 
brought in from the cotton house 



into one pile, which is very often 
the case. The cotton should be 
opened and each bale tested for 
length and trash. After you have 
determined the average mix you are 
to make, have a small portion taken 
off each bale and thoroughly shak- 
en out over a given lloor space. 
Keep on trimming the bales in this 
manner until you have the lot all 
mixed, into a larger pile. 

The man who does the feeding of 
the hopper or blowing system should 
bo instructed to take the cotton 




T. \V. Harvey 

Cherryville, N. C. 
from top to bottom of the pile in 
order to get a small portion of each 
i.ale in every armful or boxful as 
the case may be. In this way you 
get an even mixture of fibres to start 
with, which will insure regular 
strength and eveu running numbers 
as far as the stock question is con- 
cerned. 

Now we take up the picking de- 
partment. Remember, the less beat- 
ing you give the cotton the stronger 
and better the yarn will be. My 
experience has taught me to beat it 
Just enough to get the heavy trash 
out of it. A two system (breaker 
and intermediate picker) will clean 
the cotton. Do not run it through 
the finishers just because you 
have them in the mill. If you 
have a three system picker room 
doing 2,5U0 pounds per day, convei^t 

13 



your intermediate into a finisher and 
cut the speed down to 1,300 lbs. for 
eacli machine. If you have carding 
beaters, reduce their speed to be- 
tween lUOU to 1100 R. P. M. I am 
reasonably sure you will get better 
results through your mill and make 
it easier for your cards. Tlie pick- 
ing department is only intended to 
clean the cotton and make it into an 
even layer convenient to transfer to 
the ijext process, the cards. 

To get even yarn, the card cloth- 
ing must be tight so as to allow 
close setting of the difl'erent parts 
of the card, cylinders, tops and dof- 
fer. To get a good even webb from 
a card, it is necessary to set the 
licker-in close to the feed plate and 
use a light lap. Run your doller to 
get the required production, have 
licker-in to cylinder, top to cylinder 
and doller to cylinder, set so you are 
not liable to face the clothing at 
a;iy point. 

Now we go to the drawing frame, 
that simple machine that any fool 
can run (so some mill men say), a 
machine that has caused more bad. 
uneven work in the mill than all of 
the rest combined. Why? It is so 
simple to run, nothing to do but put 
ends up at the back and take the 
cans off at the front when they get 
full. However, there is a lot more 
about the drawing frame than the 
average layman can understand. To 
get the best results from drawing 
frames they should be thoroughly 
cleaned each week and the top rolls 
examined. Th6 adjustment of the 
weights should be carefully looked 
after, as it is absolutely necessary 
that each end of the top rolls have 
the same amount of weight. Now, 
the sliver guide at the bac^^ of the 
frames should be set just high 
enough to keep the slivers close 
when running and not allow them to 
separate and part of them sag 
down between calender rolls and 
front steel rolls. By keeping them 
as one wide ribbon coming through 
the rolls you can get the proper 
compensating gear on the frame and 
avoid any draft between the calen- 
der rolls and front rolls. 

The draft question on drawing 
frames is what destroys more good 
sliver than any other point. Get 
your machine drafted properly if 
you expect to make even yarn. Light 
sliver and short draft at the draw- 
ing frames will show up in high 
class yarns, whereas if you use a 
long draft and heavy sliver, at the 



drawing, your yarn will be put in as 
low class yarns. 

The slubber is the first machine 
that puts twist in the cotton and 
like all others that proceed it, has 
four motions .drawing, twisting, lay- 
ing and tension. Close watch must 
be kept on the first and last two. 
First, the setting of the rolls to suit 
the stock, cleaning, oiling, etc., to 
keep the rolls moving freely. Above 
all things avoid long drafts with a 
sliver too heavy for the roll weights. 
As to the tension, see that the 
frames starts oil right and never 
allow a hand to take up or let out 
the cone belt. If you have trouble 
with your frames jerking and 
stretching the roving, increase the 
width of the cone belt to 3 inches 
and change the bottom cone gear 
to give you the proper speed at the 
start of the set. 

I will not dwell <-r\ the intermed- 
iates, nor speeders, as they require 
the same attention as the slubber, 
except this. See that the skewers 
are not blunt, vvhich allows the rov- 
ing from the slubbers to intermed- 
iates to be stretched in the creel. 
Keep sight of your drafts on these 
machines. Excessive drafts will 
make unr ven yarns, and there is no 
fomedy jjr it, not even short drafts, 
in the spinning room. 

Now suppose we have observed 
all of the above very carefully, see- 
ing that there is no carelessness in 
handling the stock from picker to 
speeder. Suppose that the oiling 
and cleaning have been done with 
care and intelligence, we will enter 
the spinning room. 

In the spinning room we again 
meet the same conditions except on 
a differently constructed machine. 
Here the draft and rolls of the ma- 
chine must receive the same atten- 



tion as before and like work shall 
be performed with more strict at- 
tention on the part of the overseer 
and second hands ,as we have now 
to deal with the young people who 
make up the spinning room help. 
A boss spinner must make certain 
rules regarding the cleaning and 
oiling of rolls, the inspecting of 
same by an intelligent person. I 
find the best method is on Saturday 
when all is cleaned up to have the 
spinners place top clearers on top 
of the iiau'ies and then the second 
hands pass up and down each alley, 
inspecting the condition of them, 
and then and there remove or have 
removed, any roll which in his judg- 
ment is not making good work. 

Now, Mr. Editor, there have been 
so many articles ^ivritten on the 
management of the spinning room, 
some of which you have published 
and distributed in book form, that 
it would be folly for me to say any- 
thing that some fellow may say of, 
"I wrote 4hat same thiiig for The 
Bulletin a year ago." So I will close 
with' this short sentence: There 
are two things in the mill that make 
luieven work and that have ruined 
the product of many a mill. These 
two are Draft and Tension. I heard 
the president of the New England 
Manufacturers' Association once 
say: "Give me roving free from 
overdraft and tension strain, and I 
can make good yarn on a wheel- 
barrow." Now, I want anyone who 
reads this to understand that I do 
not overlook the twist question, but 
we all know there is no set rule 
for twist in the average American 
cotton, except the rule of common 
sense, and that is to put in enough 
tto carry it through to the next pro- 
cess without stretching it. 



Number Six. 



By A. J. RODGERS, Blacksburg, S. C. 



I am sending this for entry in the 
contest of "Cause and Prevention of 
Uneven Yarn." 

Bad cotton or the weather never 
cause the numbers to mix, some 
light and some heavy, on the same 
frame or speeder as the case may 
be, for either will make them vary, 
all the same way, all heavy or all 
light. 

To keen numbers even, it is essen- 
tial to have an honest, well ex- 
perienced man on the pickers, one 

14 



that will not send laps to the cards 
that you do not want. 

You should have a standard 
weight for your laps, and allow one- 
quarter pound variation on either 
side of standard and no more. All of 
the rolls on the picker should be 
clear of waste that catches on them. 
If allowed to run they will be in- 
clined to stretch the lap, if on the 
calender rolls, but if on the feed 
rolls they will cause more stock to 
be delivered, and cause the lap to 



have heavy places in it. The fric- 
tion should not be too tight, or the 
lap will be stretched more in some 
places than others, and this will 
cause the numbers to vary. The 
grinder has a lot to do with the 
numbers varying too. He should 
have all of the cards set alike, so 
as to take out the same amount of 
motes, the same amount of (lyings 
under the dolTer, the same amount 
of toppings off the tlats. Now some 
men will say this cannot be done, 
but I have found that it can be 
done. If there is more waste coming 
from some cards than others, the 
sliver will be somewhat lighter than 
it will be from those (hat aio aoL 
faking out so much. If all the 
trumpets at the calender rolls are 
not the same size, the sliver will 
not weigh the same, and if the 
trumpets at the coiler are not the 
same size they will cause the num- 
bers to vary. All of the gears on 
the calender rolls should have the 
same number of teeth, or j^ou can 
not run the combs alike. Some will 
have to be run higher than others, 
and if all of the trumpets are not 
the same size the combs can not be 
run at the same height, and if the 
combs are not run alike the num- 
bers will vary according to the 
amount of stretch that the sliver 
gets between the comb and calender 
rolls. 

The drawing should be kept clean 
and well oiled. If the rolls are lap- 
ped with was(e, they will cause more 
stock to be delivered than if they 
were not. and it will cause the work 
to be heavy, and if there is one en(l 
that sags more than any of the 
others, and comes down from this 
cause. The drawing tender will 
pack waste in between the top and 
bottom rolls in the stands to keep 
(he end (ight enough to keep it 
from coming down, but this should 
not. be done, as it will cause that 
end (o be heavy. The (rumpe(s on 
the back drawing should be all of 
one size, and all of (he (rumpe(s on 
(he second drawing (he same on it, 
and the finished drawing trumpets 
should be all of one size. If all of 
(he trumpets are not the same, 
those that are the largest will be 
stretched more than those that are 
smaller, and consequently will be 
lighter than the others. But if all 
the trumpets are the same size on 
one machine there will be (he same 
amount of draft on each end be- 
tween the calender rolls and the 
drawing rolls. The weights should 

15 



be uniform and never allow some 
to be let down lower than others. 
.\11 should be level and clear of 
raising levers, and not mixed, some 
of til i heavier weights in front and 
some of the lighter ones behind. 
All of the lightest weights should 
be on the front roll. If not the num- 
bers will not be even, and the cans 
should not be run too full as this 
cr. 'i.'^es the drawing to be stretched 
by the coiler and consequently be- 
come lighter at top of can than at 
bottom. 

The slubber rolls should be kept 
clean and well oiled. Dry top rolls 
in the back will cause light work, 
but dry shell in front will cause the 
work to be heavy. Waste in guide 
trumpets will cause the drawing to 
stretch and make light work. The 
(ontion gear should be changed when 
the ends get too tight or too loose. 
Never let the slubber tender take 
up or let off, to keep the tenlion 
right, for he will take up too much 
and stretch the roving when he 
takes up on the rack to make the 
ends tight enough, and if they run 
too tight he may not let off soon 
enough, and the roving .will be 
stretched before he lets off, and this 
will cause \meven numbers. 

The intermediate and speeder 
rolls should be kept clean and well 
oiled, and all waste kept out of 
guide trumpets, and all skewers in 
good shape, or the roving will 
stretch on the ends that are choked 
in the guide or have a bad roving 
skewer or set. The (ention gears 
should be right so (ha( (he help will 
not have (o be taking up or letting 
off on the ends, or the numbers will 
not be even all through the doff. 
The spinning rolls, like the speed- 
ers, should be clean and well oil- 
ed. If the top back rolls are dry it 
will make the work light, and if "the 
front rolls are dry or have waste 
on the steel rolls ,the work off that 
roll will be heavy, and you will 
have mixed numljers and changing 
dm ft gears will not get them right. 

The way to keep even numbers is 
to start with an even lap, and keep 
every machine in good fix, clean and 
well oiled, and the numbers will stay 
even, (not mix up). If they vary 
they will all vary (he same way, not 
some get too light and some too 
heavy and some be the right weight, 
but will all vary to the same side, 
if caused from a change in the 
weather or a change in cotton. 

If you will weigh your speeder 
roving once per day, and your card 



sliver and finished drawing twice 
per day. and you find your numbers 
one-half grain off the standard, 
change your lap standard according- 
ly, and you will never nave to change 
the draft on the speeders or spin- 
ning, except when you are changing 
from one number of hank roving to 
another, or from one number of 
yarn to another. My ideas are to 
watch the numbers closelv and 



change the lap standard when the 
numbers vary heaxy or light, which 
they will if you haven't a good sys- 
tem of humidifying, and heating,' so 
as to keep the same degree of heat 
and humidity all the time. 

If your numbers are giving trou- 
ble try some or all these rules and 
you will find that they will get bet- 
ter results than all the changing 
draft gears, or blaming the cotton. 



Number Seven. 



By T. .1. DKiHY. Newberry, S. C. 



We don't know that we could just- 
ly go back to the planting of the 
cotton to take up the subject of 
"Uneven Yarn." However, we do 
believe that there should be more 
consideration given to the selection 
of the cotton seed for planting in 
order to get a better ana more even 




T. J. Digby, 

Newberry, S. C. 

running staple, all of which tends 
toward a more even uniform yarn. 
Also if yopr staple was even run- 
ning your numbers would be easily 
kept — hence a more even yarn. 

If cotton is not properly ginned 
(we mean by this, saws in bad 
shape, too dull, and not set right) 
it will injure the staple, cause bad 
spinning and uneven yarn. 

It would be better for manufac- 

16 



turers if it were possible for all 
cotton to go through a conditioning 
process preparatory to ginning. It 
is the opinion of the writer that the 
staple does not reach its full ma- 
turity until it has stayed on the 
seed a certain length of time after 
the boll has opened, therefore, it 
should be ginned after being housed 
about thirty days, especially the 
first picking. Then as before stated, 
great care should be exercised in 
(he ginning; saws should be sharp 
and properly set so as not to injure 
the staple. 

When taken to the opening room 
great care should be given to the 
mixing, especially if you have more 
than one grade of cotton to run. 
You should see that the exact num- 
ber of bales of each grade is put 
into the mixing. If you are not 
equipped with bale breakers, or 
some other up-to-date machinery 
for opening the cotton, such as the 
C. 0. B. machine, it would be well to 
open up as much cotton in your 
openmg room as you can, even if it 
is two or three days run, and give 
your cotton a chance fo open up to 
its natural state, which will help 
considerably in its spinning quality, 
This is more imperative in dealing 
with compressed cotton. 

If possible you should have your 
breaker tappers equipped with 
eveners, and all aprons equipped 
with chain drives. The eveners on 
your breakers, intermediates, and 
finishing pickers should be kept in 
the best of working order at all 
times so as to take care of the 
slightest unevenness in the laps. 
You should keep picking machin- 
ery well cleaned and in good re- 
pair, and see that all laps that are 
under or over the standard allow- 
ance are thrown back and worked 
over, all of which will tend to more 
even varn. 



Next we will take the cards. You defective rollers. And of course the 
should see that your cards are steel rollers should be set to the 
ground and set up exactly right for length of staple you are running; 
the grade of work you are on, as the shorter the staple the closer the 
irregular settings on your cards, rolls should be set, and the longer 
such as feed plate to lickcr-in or the more open. Lots of uneven yarn 
licker-in to cylinder, as well as other is caused here by bad creeling. A few 
settings will cause the sliver to vary inches of doubling on intermediates 
in weight on the difTerent cards, would mean a great many yards 
which, of course, would cause un- after passing through speeders and 
even work. Also the way the card spinning frames. The same care 
hands laps his cards, letting some should be given to speeders as to 
run out and putting others in intermediates, such as keeping a 
double (also split laps) will cause close watch on the creeling to see 
uneven work. And if you don't keep that the creeler hand breaks off the 
a close watch on your men who old roving when the new one starts 
strip cards they will make a lot of in. See that th-; rollers are kept 
uneven work by starting the cards clean and set the proper distance 
too soon after stripping and letting apart for the staple you are run- 
slivers run into the can before at- ning. See that the shells are taken 
taining the proper weight. It is off each week, arbors well cleaned 
impossible for the draw frames to and oiled before putting them back 
take care of all these evils, as you in frame. All this has to do with 
generally have to run your drawing even yarn. 

with cheap hands who are careless, You should not run yo[ir roving 
and don't care a ran just so they with a too soft twist o^* it will 
keep the cans empty. They don't stretch and break-back in creels in 
care whether the frames stop when spinning frames, causing spinning to 
the cans run empty, or the sliver run had. thereby making uneven 
breaks, or not, and at this point is yarn. Also too much twist in the 
where a great deal of the uneven roving will make an uneven yarn, 
work is made. Frames not stopping On spinning frames you should 
off when sliver breaks, rolls dirty see that you have no blunt .skewers, 
and choked up, flutes full of dirt, keep your rollers well cleaned and 
and frames not proper Iv cleaned and oiled, get all choakes off your steel 
oiled, all play a part in producing roller.s, and see that your top front 
bad. uneven work. rollers are same size on bota 

-, , . , XV, 1 vv- ends. Your rolls should he caliper- 

Next in order comes the slubber ^^ ^^ spinning, also on all the fly 
which makes its pro rata share of frames, and matched up to avoid 
the uneven work, caused mostly by ^laki^g uneven varn. You should 
careless operation by the slubber r^i^g gee that alfwpight levers are 
hand in changing cans and piecmg ^^^ jp^.^i ^^ spinning frame with 
up behind. Great care should be weight hooks in same notch on all 
taken not to run doublings, as an ipvers. Frames should be well 
inch of doubling on slubber means aligned and leveled, and spindles 
many yards of doubling when it has should be plumbed at top and hot- 
passed through the spinning frame. ^ ^n ^^ ^,}^iph ^.jn y^pip t^ make 
The slubber should be kept clean ^^^ ^^,^^ ^^^^n. 

and all parts well oiled: especially „. ," , , - „i„o;,,„ 

the rollers should have special at- We would also say before closing 
tention as to cleaning and oiling, onv article on uneven yarns that 
Also the tension at this point should P^^at ^^re should be given to the 
have good attention to see that rov- Piecing up of the ends on the slub- 
ing is not stretched and the proper bers, intermediates, and fine frames 
amount of twist put in so that when so as not to make hard ends or 
it goes to the intermediates it will doublings, which, of course, would 
not stretch in the creels and cause cause uneven yarn Many times 
uneven work there. You should also when ends break down on 
see that your skewers on intermed- the fly frames, th sliver or 
iates are in good shape so that the broken end catches up to the end 
pull in creel will not be sufficient to running on the right or left of this 
stretch the roving. Intermediates broken end. which, of course, causes 
should he well cleaned and oiled, a doubling. The hand piecing up 
especially steel and top rollers, and these ends should be compelled to 
see that you have no worn out or pull oflf these doublings, or be fined 

17 



lor their carelessness, as a few 
yards of this doubling on slubbers 
or intermediates will mean several 
hundreds of yards of doubling when 
same has passed through the spin- 
ning frame. The same applies to 
speeders. Also hard ends made by 
bad piecing up on the fly frames 
give trouble all the way through 
and injure a large per cent of the 
leather covered rolls. When said 
hard ends have passed through any 
of the machines that are equipped 
with leather covered top rolls they 
will tend to groove these rolls more 
or less, after which they will not 
draw perfectly until replaced with 
new ones. This is another cause for 
uneven varn. 



Last, but not the least, by any 
means, is poor management in the 
spinning room. Spinners should be 
taught to piece up ends at all times 
without making lumps and gouts 
and where ends break down without 
calching on the scavenger roll, but 
catches to the end running on the 
right or left. Spinners should see 
that this yarn is pulled off the bob- 
bin and not allowed to go to the 
spooler room. Overhead cleaners 
and sweepers should be taught to 
be careful to avoid letting loose 
lint and waste catch to the ends 
on the spinning frames. This also 
applies to card room, which is an- 
other reason for uneven yarn. 



Number Eiaht. 



By W. V. JONES, Social Circle, Ga. 



As you are running a contest on 
"Cause and Prevention of Uneven 
Yarn," I will proceed to air my ex- 
perience on same. As the average 
cotton buyer for all mills buys cot- 
ton from various climates and 
localities, the average mill has a 
variety of cotton staple to begin 
with, consequently it is necessary 
to blend this variety of cotton into 
an even and regular mixing each 
day, or mixing time. 

The mill I am working for has 
about 2,500 bales of cotton on hand, 
grades A, B. G. D, as we call our 
mixing code. D is the best staple, 
averaging about 1 3-16 inches, A 
averages 1 1-16, B averages 1 1-8, 
and G is slightly above 1 1-8 and a 
little under 1 3-16. As I cannot open 
but 10 bales at a time, owing to lack 
of space, I mix 3 bales of Ds, 2 Cs, 
4 Bs, and 1 As. I never allow this 
mixing to be changed, and using a 
blow system, I open cotton today 
for tomorrow's run. I am making 
20s warp, 24.50 filling. What 
little waste the room makes is run 
through the intermediate picker 
each day, with 50 per cent good 
stock, taken from the back of the 
cotton pile and thereby mixed in 
before starting to use, so I avoid the 
uneven weights caused by too much 
waste at one mix and not enough at 
the next, to keep on an average 
basis. 

The object of the picker room be- 
ing to clean and condense the stock, 
it is only accomplished when the 
machinery is kept in good working 

18 



order and properly adjusted to suit 
the staple. If you are using 7-8 
inch staple and setting the picker 
machinery for 1 or 1 1-16 inch 
staple, the result is a lot of varying 
flyers of good stock and uneven 
laps. I am making a 50-pound fin- 
ished lap, allowing one-half pound 
for variation, one-quarter each way 
and keep standard weights on break- 
ers and intermediate pickers, and 
paying special attention to the 
workings of all eveners. I am pro- 
ducing even finisher laps, which are 
uniform through the entire length 
and not merely getting 50 pounds 
case. Laps weights may be O. K., 
and yet not produce even work. In 
such cdses, look after your air cir- 
culation and beater speeds. When 
a good even lap is placed on the 
cards, properly set, the result is an 
even, well-carded sliver. 

See that all flats produce the same 
weight strips. Weigh motes and 
flyers from each ( ard occasionally 
Lo ascertain whether they are all 
producing equal amounts. Examine 
all draft gears and bevel gears on 
side of shaft at d »ffer end to be 
sure that none are slipping, and 
causing light work. Test the cylin- 
der speed and get all running the 
same as a high speed cylinder 
throws off more flyers than one 
running slower. Gauge up the 
sliver trumpets, get them all to suit 
the diameter of the sliver, then see 
that all of them are the same, as a 
small trumpet hole wiU make lighter 
work, and a large hole makes heavy 
work. If the holes are not uniform 



the result is uneven work. Do not not stretch simply by being un- 
allow sliver to run in card while wound. 

stripping or immediately after. Wait we will assume that we have 
for the cylmder to get stocked and placed in the spinning a perfect 
avoid light places. Do not allow roving. It is to be feared that spin- 
cans to run too full and stretch the ners have not perceived clearly the 
sliver. Doff the cans by a schedule perils which tend to beset the roving 
and you will prepare good even and produce poor and uneven yarn 
stock for the drawing. in weight which is sometimes the 

When placing sliver on drawing from perfect roving. Do not allow 
do not allow it to run tight or spinning skewers to run that have 
crossed from the cans. Have a nails or wire in them, or one that 
place for every end and every end has been whittled down on the bear- 
>y in place; space the rolls to suit ing end, as it is of a special shape, 
staple length. Get exact distance which once destroyed, is rarely re- 
from bite to bite by placing a small stored. When they are damaged or 
copperwire (extracted from some broken, discard them and avoid that 
old electric wire) between top and strain on the roving. Have all 
bottom metallic rolls while frames weight levers set to a gauge so they 
are standing. This gives you a good will all hang about level and not 
impression to measure each frame rest or vibrate against the boards, 
by and see that they are all alike. Keep the top leather rolls in good 
And if they are set to suit the staple condition. By condition I mean just 
in process, you will not find blotchy what the word implies, reasonable 
or cloudy sliver at the front rolls, cushion, good laps, well covered, 
Keep the drawing rolls and gears cleaned and oiled. Test out the 
cleaned, oiled and working fine, for spacing of bottom and top rolls as 
if the rolls or gears run dry, you above mentioned with small wire, 
will find the results is heavy and Be sure to space to suit staple and 
lumpy sliver. Have the can tables avoid brake draft and unnecessary 
plumb, so every head will produce flyings of short fiber, which often 
alike. If a 6 delivery frame pro- occur when changing from one num- 
duces 1 can, with a hole 1 1-2 inches bcr traveler to another on frames, 
in diameter, in center of coils, num- Sometimes help fails to collect sup- 
ber two can has 1 1-4 inch hole piy of old travelers in cups and 
and so on, diminishing down to 1 eventually they become all mixed 
inch hole in can number 6, all this up. This produces uneven yarn 
is sure sign that your can tables from good roving, 
are not plumb. Have a space of » Have all the bands uniform in 
inches between can top and coiler weight and tension, keep spindles 
plate gear. See that all are the oiled regularly, and all bolsters 
same. Try a can of overpacked properly adjusted. Give every spin- 
sliver at slubs and one not run full, die the same treatment and atten- 
and if you have less than 2 or 3 tion, as though it was the entire 
grains difference in 12 yards, I'll room. Do not allow frames of the 
set *em up. same counts to run different drafts. 

On slubbers pay special attention twist or speeds, as this will make 
to the rolls, their condition, spacing uneven yarn. Keep the clearers 
and oiling. If you have shell rolls, covered and do not allow them to 
have calipered pairs; use good bind on roller bars, causing hard 
heavv oil for same. See that the twisted and heavy yarns. The ques- 
lav is not piling up, keep tension <'ion of oiling and cleaning rolls is 
right, and do not allow tenders to important to even work, and one 
take up or let off tension by hand, also that local conditions govern. 
You have a piece of mechanism for To answer this repeat the action 
that purpose. Get after it and put so often that they cannot get dry 
it to work. Do not allow the help or run dirty. A few donts. Dont 
to unwrap some and not all of the allow the roving cut, dont allow a 
presser fingers on anv frames. Do solid roll which has been run in 
not allow twist draft "lav or tension front to be put in the back or mid- 
gears changed on a part of the ^i^' dont allow spindles to get out 
frames without making all frames of Plumb and create unnecessary 

^la-n Tf -rr.,, r^r. ,rr^„ „,;!! Ko,-^ „t, stralu on the yarn, don t allow rov- 
ahke. If you do, you will have un- -^^ ^^ ^^^ ^/^gse^ i^ ^^^^^^^ ^o^^-t 

even work made. Place in the spin- allow roving guides to choke up or 
ning a good even roving that will stand still, don't allow roving to run 

19 



off with the reverse end up, as this little things and remedy them. You 
pulls out the fibres and makes light can see a shaft fall down or a spin- 
yarn, don't allow any bad creel ning frame on fire, at a distance, 
steps, don't allow shell rolls on Pay attention to bands, oil and 
spinning without having them call- traverse at spoolers. Do not place 
pered in pairs, as a large roll and a excess strain on yarn and break it 
small roll on the same arbor make with tension and excess speeds at 
different number yarn. Above all, spoolers and warpers, as a single BOs 
don't allow a section man in your yam, 35,000 yards long, has been 
room who will not look after the known to contain 15 grains of knots. 

Number Nine. 



By CHAS. M. STOY, Anniston, Ala. 



In order to make even yarn, the 
cotton should be of uniform grade 
and staple, and free from dampness. 
To bring about this condition as 
near as possible there should be 
two mixing bins large enough to 




C. M. Stoy 

Anniston, Ala. 

hold two days mixing with the cot- 
ton from each bale well shaken up 
and evenly laid over floor, one layer 
on another, until a day's run is put 
into each bin. While one bin is be- 
ing used from the other bin can be 
filled. 

The opener hand should take arm- 
fuls of cotton from top to bottom of 
pile when filling feeder, so that 
some from each bale will be fed into 
hopper. The hopper should never 



be allowed to get below 3-4 full. 
Cleaning trunks should be kept free 
from chokes so that the cotton will 
be sucked onto the screen in a 
smooth, even sheet. All air currents 
should be evenly regulated. The 
fan speed should not be too high 
for split laps will result; 900 revolu- 
tions per minute is fast enough to 
run them ordinarily. When there 
is not proper mixing space, mix as 
large a quantity as it is possible to 
mix in the manner above described. 
All waste from card and spinning 
rooms should be mixed with about 
50 per cent of cotton and run into 
separate laps one of these laps put 
onto the intermediate apron with 
three laps of cotton. Three blade 
beaters should only run 950 revolu- 
tions per minute while 1,540 is a 
good speed for two blade beaters. 
Beaters should be kept fairly sharp 
and not set too close, as broken 
staple and split laps will be made. 
Eveners should receive close atten- 
tion and set so as to give best re- 
sults according to the quality of the 
cotton and weight of lap going into 
the machine. Each lap taken from 
finisher should be weighed and all 
laps over or under standard should 
be put back on apron and re-run. 

Cards. 

Cards should be true and sharp, 
set to No. 7 to No. 12 gauge from 
feed plate, according to weight of 
lap. A dull or mashed lickerin will 
jerk the lap in in bunches. No air 
currents should be allowed under 
cards. No waste allowed to accu- 
mulate and roll up in lumps at end 
of cylinder or doffer, thus causing 
an uneven selvage in web. All 
waste taken from under cards as 
often as it should be. Cards should 
be stripped as often as the quality 
of the work requires. In stripping 
it is best to strip every other card 
and when around start back and 



20 



strip those that were not stripped 
the first round. Always start card 
up and let end run onto floor until 
the next card is stripped, thus al- 
lowing card to All up. When put- 
ting on laps pull off 12 to 18 inches 
of the old lap as it is always heavy. 
Make short splices so as not to 
double in the lap. Have all cards 
set to take out 2 1-2 to 3 per cent 
waste. All single and double should 
be pulled out of can and end prop- 
erly spliced. 

Drawing. 

This is the vital point in the pro- 
cess of manufacturing. Therefore 
constant care and close attention 
should be given it. Metallic rolls 
should be carded twice each day, 
top and bottom, by the drawing ten- 
der and given a thorough cleaning 
and inspection of gears once each 
month by the section hands and 
grinder. All rolls and gears oiled 
regularly each day. Top rolls thor- 
oughly wiped with waste to remove 
dirt and chokes. The back should 
be all creeled at one time. A care- 
less hand some times puts an extra 
end in behind in order to catch up. 
This should never be allowed. If 
leather top rolls are used they 
should be given close attention and 
regularly varnished and oiled. All 
bad rolls . should be taken out of 
frames as soon as discovered. All 
gears should be gone over regularly, 
oiled, examined and set. All single 
and double must be pulled out and 
splicing properly made with a short 
lap. 

Work should be weighed three to 
six times a day according to num- 
bers, and gears changed to suit var- 
iation of weight of sliver, as this 
(outside of the picker room) is the 
place to keep numbers. All top 
rolls evenly weighted. Heaviest 
weight on back rolls, next heaviest 
on second, and so on. with the 
lightest weight on front. Draft 
should not exceed six (6). Stop mo- 
tions must receive close attention 
and set to stop as soon as an end 
runs out or comes down in front. 
Spoons must he well balanced, kept 
free from lint in order to act quick- 
ly. The sliver should be closely ex- 
amined from time to time and rolls 
kept properly set as the setting of 
draw frame rolls, how and when, is 
of great importance. The sliver 
guide at back roll should be adjust- 
ed so the sliver will come out in 
front an even sheet. 

There should be onlv enough draft 



between the front and calender roll 
to prevent sagging of the sliver, and 
not enough to stretch it. The point 
of the trumpet should be as near the 
bite of the calendar roll as it is 
possible to get it without it rubbing 
the roll. Sliver should only be con- 
densed enough to make it pull up to 
the back roll of the next machine 
without stretching, as too much 
condensation prevents an even draft. 

The sliver on draw frames and 
slubbers should be tested every few 
days by inserting a gauge between 
the back and second rolls and feel- 
ing the strength of the cotton by 
pushing down on it. This will de- 
termine whether the back rolls need 
opening or closing. If it needs open- 
ing the stock will be found to stand 
very hard pressure and if needs 
closing the stock will feel weak. 
There has been many a good man 
to lose his job just because he did 
not know how or when his rolls 
needed setting. Three of the great 
essential points to consider in 
making good even yarn are proper 
speed on all machines; second, 
good common sense and systematic 
methods and application in hand- 
ling the cotton in its various pro- 
cesses, and third, close attention 
and care to the condensation of the 
sliver and the setting of the rolls 
on drawing, roving and spinning 
frames. 

Roving Frames. 

These include slubbers, interme- 
diates and speeders and on very fine 
numbers jack frames. These frames 
should be leveled and overhauled 
and spindles plumbed once each 
year. Steel rolls should be scoured 
every six months. Drafts should be 
3 1-2 to 4 on slubbers, 4 1-2 to 5 on 
intermediates and 6 to 6 1-2 on 
speeders and jack frames. All 
chokes should be kept out of 
trumpets. Skewers should be well 
pointed and roving steps kept in 
creel. All broken ones replaced with 
new ones. Flyers balanced and free 
from chokes. Sockets on flyers and 
tops of spindles clean and occas- 
ionally oiled. Bobbin gears and 
spindles oiled each day, steps oiled 
every two weeks. Bobbin and spin- 
dle gear set so there will be no 
jumping of spindles or bobbins. 
Creel rods clean and smooth so that 
roving will not strain. 
Tension. 

The proper gear to give an even 
tension to ends so that the frame 



21 



hand will not have to alter the ten- 
sion in the run of a doff. Endless 
cone belts, proper gear on end of 
cone to give the proper starting 
speed for bobbins. All bobbins gaug- 
ed. Bobbins with wornout bottoms 
discarded. Top rolls well oiled and 
kept clean. Shell rolls well oiled 
once each week, and paired to 
match. Rolls spotted so they can 
be put in so laps will run the right 
way. Poorly covered, top rolls flut- 
ed, and all bad rolls taken out of 
frame. 

Steel Rolls. 

They should be kept free from 
laps. Regularly oiled and stands 
wiped, flutes scoured with card 
clothing two to three times a year. 
All crooked joints renecked and 
made to run true. The gears should 
be set so as not to bind or make the 
roll tremble as uneven work will 
result. The rolls should be set to 
produce an even strand. One has to 
be governed by the twist of the rov- 
ing, the weight of stock, the speed 
of the roll, and the length of the 
staple. 

Twist and Lay. 

There should only be enough twist 
in the work to pull itself into the 
back rolls without stretching. The 
roving traverse must be kept run- 
ning and traverse as near across the 
face of the rolls as it is possible for 
it to do. Clearers should be picked 
regularly. Frame hands should not 
be allowed to stick cotton under 
clearer cloth. The carriage should 
be oiled regularly so that it will not 
jump. The proper lifting gear run 
even. Pressors should all be wrap- 
ped alike. The wrapping of pres- 
sors should be governed by the 
length of staple used. All doubling 
and single should be pulled from 



bobbins, short splicings made. 
Speeder hands should not be allow- 
ed to fan frames, but wipe off flyers 
and roller beam at regular inter- 
vals. 

Spinning. 
The same general rule applies to 
rolls, draft, creels, etc., as in the 
card room. Spindles should be oil- 
ed regularly and plumbed to run 
true. Travelers should be the 
right weight and have the proper 
circle for the ring. Guide wire set 
over center of spindles, roving 
traverses kept in working order, 
lifting rods clean and free of chokes, 
rings properly set and set down 
level in ring rails. Ring rails should 
be leveled and clean. Spinners 
should not be allowed to make bad 
piecing, doffers should set bobbins 
down well on spindles. All choked 
bobbins punched out. All slack 
bands cut off of frames, and all 
bands tied on with care and judg- 
ment. Bands made from hard twist 
ed roving, creels kept clean. All 
weight levers kept free from back 
board and leveled. Use proper 
weights to suit the work being spun. 
All steel rolls should be kept cleaned 
and regularly oiled. Under clearers 
well covered and made to turn and 
not fall out of frame. Clearer 
boards kept in good condition and 
cleaned at regular intervals. Spool- 
er guides set so as not to chafe the 
yarn. Knots should be tied with a 
knot tier. Warper hands should not 
be allowed to fan lint on the yarn 
as it will make lumps and bunches. 
Running spools too low on warper 
creels. Yarn slashed on slashers 
without side shafts, etc. There are 
many other things that will cause 
uneven yarn, but space will not per- 
mit me to tell. 



Number Ten. 



By E. B. WISE, Batesburg, S. C 



First, let us consider the different 
soils on which cotton is grown. 
That grown on sandy land does not 
produce as even yarn or as clean 
work as cotton grown on clay or 
stiff land and (that of the clay or 
stiff land) the latter has the strong- 
est staple. The more frequently 
cotton is cultivated the better yarn 
it will produce. The first picking 
will not make as even numbers as 
the second picking. 

Next the cotton buyer for the mill 



should be a good judge of what is 
required. 

Most of them have small mixing 
rooms and can only get a day or so 
run at a time and if there is, say 
12 or 15 bales of blue, fluffy, ordin- 
ary, grade sent down on Monday, 
then on Tuesday the buyer sends 12 
or 15 bales of good middling. Then 
the numbers are sure to go to 
pieces, while if all these were put 
together and thoroughly mixed it 



would be all to the good with the have to cut nearly all air off at 
numbers. times. This is very important and 

The opening space should always I will say right here, most of un- 
be large, where, say 50 to 100 bales evenness is caused by picker room 
mixed at once, even for a 20,000 being neglected. The cone belts and 
spindle mill then our numbers shifters should be watched closely 
would go even. The opening as the belts will get slack and not 
room should be kept closed dur- pull and make uneven numbers, 
ing damp nights, as cotton is a '-I'he shifter rods should be oiled 
great absorbent. Next to the breaker and kept clean. The picker room 
picker, if the hoppers are not kept should be kept closed at night and 
uniformly full the breaker laps are in damp weather, as the moisture 
off and the less the intermediate and will cause the first laps to be heavy 
finisher belts have to shift on account and when they get through to spin- 
of heavy and light breaker laps and ning the yarn will show up light, 
intermediate laps, the more even Now, as to cards, I have seen 
yarn you get. card hands lapping cards and lap 

Next we go to intermediate pick- ^l^. ^"^^ of the laps 4 or 5 inches, 
ers. First have all evener parts in ^his makes a thick, heavy place a 
good repair, also keep clean and ♦'trough the mill. Again they will 
oiled well. Do not allow 4 full ^^.'°w ^^P, ^^ ^^^ put causing light 
breaker laps on apron at one time, fliver and never take it from can, 
but use 2 half full and two fulls! Jt^^® ^^ ^ ^^§^^ streak all through to 
Try one each way and note what }^^ ^/\^- i^ometimes a card is al- 
the difference is on your intermed- ^°''^®^ ^^ ^^^^ .^^^h the sliver drag- 
iate laps. Keep cone belts in center f ^"^ ^^ sagging on floor, caused 
of cones, or your evener can't make ^^°P^ ^of,^ ^^afts in coiler head 
even laps, do not allow picker men ^'^^^^^ ^^^^^: This can t make even 
on any machine to lap the laps when ^f^^- ^^F^ ^^^^ should be kept 
putting on full laps. This is a prac- ^'^^^P ^^*^ ^^^, ^et to suit the pro- 
tice causing much uneven yarn in duction and stock. Be sure there 
a great many mills. I have seen f!'^ ^?. ^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^J^^}? ^^^^ ^^^^^ 
men let 3 laps run on intermediates "^.?, i^^"^^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^dly, and you 
and finisher pickers for a day or so 7f^^^ have uneven yarn Many a man 
because the breaker laps were heavy '^^^ wondered why his yarn was 
and they were too lazy to change Tu'^^^*'^^^^ ^^ ,^^^ ?^^x^®^ ^L^^. 
the draft gear, still they want good °^^i ^^^^ ^^^ ^ ^^^^^^ ^^^t couldn't 
even yarn. Now, the finisher should "^ drawn even. 



be watched more carefully than any /o"^,', ^^ 1°. draw frames. I know 

machine the carder has, if he wants ^^ ^^^^^ • which used metallic rolls 

to give the mill good, even work for ^^ dravving and on top roll weight 

what faults leave the picker room, °" ^^^J^^ ^^'^f • , The weights varied 

such as heavy and light places, can- ^^o""" ^ pounds to 10 pounds. When 



suua as neavy ana iigni places, can- : " : , '—"""- >-" ^^ k^^^-^^^. " "^" 

not be entirely remedied elsewhere, f^, ®"*^ ^^T}^ ^J^^ slack they would. 

The evener must be in perfect con- ^^^^ weights off until it ran right, 

dition and laps all weighing not over f'^ P^^^H ^^lu^ ^^^ shoulder of hot- 

1-4 pound allowed to pass. Weigh ^^^ roll, either of which is sure to 

after the finisher man and have him P^'® ,"^^ven yarn. The spoon and 

put the weights down. I have had ^""^^^^'^^ ^^i^°,^ get bent or dirty 

them to quit on account of weigh- °^ ^^^ ^5°°" holders dull and I have 

ing right after them, but better l^'ll ^.^^f "^J^^K ^o^, ^^ to 20 minutes 

them than me to be hiked for un- T^ ,iHf^ a doubling where there 

even work should be 6. Have your spoons ex- 

T^v^o or^„l,,o „u 1 I V, 1 i 1- ux amined twice a week and your draw- 

.n il MPnnf"tr^°''^'^>.H^. kept tight, ing creeled a set at a time. The 

f .nrn?i.Sf^ho^' '''" H^"^"" 'f'"/ "'^ ^^^s should be spliced and not 

fhp"^.nrnn n'^^ni" ^iid sprockets ou thrown in. The latter will give 7 

«hnnl? n L^iil^^h'?''/^'- ^ 'f'''^f ^nds for 5 feet and it should be 6. 

monlLlIAi^, that his air adjust- Of course this can't make anything 

?r i5in«? cS^ivf''V'''^^"'P'r^^?-T ^""^ uneven yarn. Some times the 

ihiM. ^! ?? ?^ **P^ 7"^^^ ?PJ/^ draw frame tender will prop the 

which can be done, most especially knock-off motion with a piece of 

u you use a split lap preventer cotton and I have seen as few as 4 

which will stop most of it. ends running where there should be 

I hen if your laps split, put 6. You see this is 33 1-3 per cent 

more cotton on top cage than light, and with the other doublings 

you do on bottom, or you may you can't get it less than 15 per cent 

23 



light side. Watch tension on draw- standard on lap from 1-2 to 2 per 
ing and see that ends do not run cent and you will have few changes 
too tight or slack; also change rolls on gears to keep even numbers, 
where you have an end. Just one Also it is a good idea to raise the 
or two on a frame that are tight or lap weight on inferior cotton to 
slacker than the balance you can take care of extra loss, 
find a roll on some other frame that Now, as to the spinning. I knew 
will fix the ends or end all 0. K., a mill where the numbers .were ir- 
and have good even sliver so far. regular and the beams would pop up 
See that trumpets on cards and and down. They changed spinners 
draw frames are the right size, not 3 times in two years. The last one 
to compress the sliver too much, was one who took nobody's word 
also not to make fluffy and soft sliv- about his gears, so found his draft 
er. This is sure to give uneven gears to vary from 40 to 46 teeth on 
work. I have seen draw frames same numbers. Now, the other 
where the holes in some trumpets overseer had never known what 
were three times as large as the they were running. They just told 
others and consequently uneven the section man what to put on and 
work. he put on what he found first. Now, 

Next, go to the slubber. Have this is the cause of a great deal of 
shell rolls oiled every two weeks, uneven yarn 

solid roll oiled once a day just a sometimes the weight levers are 
drop. Have botom and top rolls ^^^ level, they should be set when 
cleaned once a day. See that pres- ^ne gets out of line. This will cause 
f'^^L^^^o%^I^f !?iof'^.tn'^SF«?: bad numbers; also some times a 
fP'V"^ hLf I .?^ i^'/if^inr Lhw spinner will put a solid roll Vhere 
LooL^nf ^n^L Li;^TP =Lr.?° .nH '-^ ^^ell should be. I kuow a carder 
fS^rnZ.J'Hl ^?.lr^ J tfiL nn who said his weights were nice, but 
that flyers are firmly seated on .j^ . x^ couldn't be kent rieht A 
spindle. See also that the ends are new sSinne^came and found^ 
all wrapped the same number of soiYd?ins La 12 000 sniX mill 
times around the presser finger, ^here here should have Wn 
Have frames kept clean, oil steps J^^^^ A fluted roH should not^S 
once a month. Have tender to piece l\^^^^^^ to run as it wm c^use a 
drawing when creeling and if a bob- f. J°St. ' 

bin by an end breaking and allow- ''^^^^^^^^- „ , 

ing to run becomes too small, by Now a few don ts and I ve flnished. 
no means allow him to run two Don't fail to inspect your pickers 
ends into it until it becomes large several times a day. 
again. I have seen this done in Don't allow oil to run in beater 
several large card rooms. Now, if cages 
above rules are carried out there is t^„,. ,, , fpndprs to iPt 

int''ermedfatls.'^'TVe'e''^h3' be ^.^^'f it'"'' ^''' '"'^ '^"^^^"^ '"' 

kept oiled as the slubbers, and Jt ,/ ' „ 

same rule as to rolls, flyers, pressers Don t allow laps punched out at 

and drafts. I want to add that they ends. 

should not be fanned, but wiped off. Don't run front draw frame rolls 

Fly frame tenders should also piece faster than 300 R. P. M. 

roving and not double it for even Don't miss a week cleaning fluted 

work, an'' they should not be allow- rolls on draw frames 

your ^section' man' ti'"ke°ep clole . ^^^'^ "^*«^ ^ ^'^^ ^^^^^ ^'''' ^^ 
Hch'on^tens"rand\y 'no' mtns i'^I^^'J^^'^J'''^'' ^"^ ^^^^^^^^^- 
allow them to be run tight. o\ernaui them 

Now, just a word more and then Don t allow frame hands to hold a 
we take up the spinning room, roll to make an end run tight or 
Keeping numbers should be done in stuff cotton under clearer clothes to 
a card room by the lap or on P"t "^o^e pressure on front roll, 
slubber. I prefer the lap, and in All of the above "don'ts," if allow- 
damp weather, raise your weight ed, will cause uneven yarn. 



24 



Number Eleven. 



By A. B. BROWN, Belmont, N. C. 



I am glad to get an opporunity to 
contribute an article on this subject, 
The Cause and Prevention of Uneven 
Yarn. This is one of the worst prob- 
lems the cotton manufacturers have 
to contend with today. I will try 
to explain to the best of my knowl- 
edge how to remedy and prevent the 
things that cause uneven yarn, but 
I would not try without first ex- 
plaining to the young men who in- 
tend to make a success out of the 
cotton mill business the importance 




A. B. Brown 

Belmont, N. C. 

of an efficient and thorough open- 
ing and mixing of the cotton. A 
thorough mixing is a firm founda- 
tion for this subject, but it alone 
cannot prevent uneven yarn. There 
are a hundred and one more things 
which will cause uneven yarn, but 
the opening and mixing, as I stated 
before, form a good foundation. 

Mixmg means the mixing of the 
different qualities of cotton in such 
a way as to secure an economical 
production of uniform qualitv and 
color, and at the same time an even 
yarn. Mosf, of us know that to mix 
cotton thoroughly, we should have 
a bale breaker, and by using a bale 
breaker, cotton will not be thrown 

25 



off of the bale in bunches and large 
fiakes of from 12 to 20 pounds, and 
then expecting the automatic feeder 
to perform the work that another 
machine should have done. No mat- 
ter how small your opening room 
may be, mix as many bales at one 
time as you can. If that is only 4 
to 6 bales, see that they are thor- 
oughly mixed, but if you can handle 
40 to 60, then so much the better, 
as it will be the means o{ eliminat- 
ing some of the unevenness of the 
yarn, though not all of it. However, 
the mixing and picker rooms have 
been too much neglected, but we 
are glqd to note that they are now 
beginning to be recognized as the 
foundation of all even yarn. 

The regularity of the laps is of 
the greatest importance in produc- 
ing a perfectly even yarn. Close 
attention should be given to the 
feeding of the < otton to the break- 
er and to the correct weighing of 
the laps on all the picking machines. 
If your feeding is regular and your 
laps are correctly weighed, why it 
must produce even work on the 
cards, providing all other things are 
in good working order about the 
cards. 

Keep the automatic feeder about 
half full all the time. It is neces- 
sary that all machines are kept 
cleaned and oiled all the time, and 
the axles at the beater free from 
rolls, else it will cause the cotton 
to run to one side and make heavy 
sided laps. Imperfect air currents 
will cause irregular and uneven 
laps to be made and this, as you 
know, will cause uneven work 
throughout me mill. Keep the 
evener belts in good working order. 
Never run an evener belt that is 
'lard or stiff, or one that is put to- 
gether with a buckle or lace, but 
use good, soft, pliable belts that are 
cemented together. Keep all gears 
well set and in good working order. 
(Anything said about gears or belts 
on these machines will apply to all 
other machines throughout the 
mill). 

We next take up the cards. Card- 
mg is the most important process 
of the entire system of cotton man- 
ufacture and is the life of good spin- 
ning, and of perfect yarn. The 
theory that imperfect picking and 
carding will regulate itself at the 



drawing and other processes should electric stop motions not working 

be exploded. The sooner we realize properly. 

the importance of good mixing, We now take up the slubbers, in- 
picking and carding of cotton, the termediates, speeders and jack 
sooner will our manufacturers come frames, all as one, as they are all on 
up with those of New England. about the same principle. 

Uneven yarn can be caused at Some of the things to be avoided 
many pomts m the carding, and are, poor piecing at the slubber and 
from now on through this article, I roving frames; long piecing when 
will give just the point and give it creeling hard ends; (when creeling 
just as clearly as possible. As the just enough lap should be made to 
space is limited and I do not wish to hold it together, not twisted too hard 
use too much space, I will say that as this will make light and heavy 
uneven yarn can be caused on the places in the roving) gathering of 
cards as follows: Improper setting, waste at the top and bottom of 
hckerin-m in bad condition; card skewers; skewers binding in creels 
clothing in poor condition and im- and in bad condition, in most cases 
properly ground; too much draft; caused from broken creel steps; top 
work too heavy; machines not oiled and 'bottom clearers not kept clean, 
and cleaned as they should be; strip- poorly covered rolls, and rolls not 
ping not well done; clothing not fitting well; rolls not kept well 
suited for the numbers being spun cleaned and oiled and adjusted; steel 
as you cannot spin yarn with any rolls not clean; flutes worn out; 
success where clothing is made for rolls put in with laps running 
counts 30s and you try to spin 60s; wrong way; loose fitting joints; 
bad piecing at back and front of worn necks on rolls; bent rolls; too 
card when putting up laps at back much draft between back and mid- 
and putting up ends at front as ^le rolls; too much draft through 
this causes heavy and light places tiie whole machine; tension too 
in the yarn; putting up ends at tjght. Never allow the frame hand 
stripping time before the cylinder ^o take up on tension, but instead 
IS allowed to fill up and fanning off change tension gears. Other causes 
cards with a broom or burlap will f^^ bad work are flyer pressers not 
cause thick places in the s iver weighting of rolls on either spin- 
where he Imt flies into it. AH of wrapped correctly; improper wind- 
these things should be watched j^g of the roving being made 
closely and guarded against. ^ radical change is being made bv 

Next we come to the drawing ^ot changing bottom cone gear and 
frames. Poor conditions of the builder gear; change gear not prop- 
rolls ,whether solid or shell, or erly set; spindle and bobbin gears 
rolls not being same diameter, set too deep; ill balanced and poor 
should be avoided. Uneven work fitting bobbins; flyers not kept 
will be caused by poorly varnished cleaned and balanced; the whole 
rolls, or if metallic rolls, not being machine not kept well oiled and 
properly cleaned; rolls not correctly cleaned; fanning off machines with 
weighted and oiled; top and bottom broom or burlap, flaps as they are 
clearers not kept cleaned; change called; roving guides becoming par- 
gears not properly set and gearing tially filled with waste; running top 
not all in good condition, and worst rolls with grooves in them, 
of all some of them slipping; rolls Spinning uneven yarn is to mv 
not well set too much draft between rnind the greatest evil which the 
back and third to calender ro Is; mill man has to deal with and if the 
bent rolls; flu.es worn out; stop work goes to the spinning room in 
motions n9t working as they should; pood condition, it can also be ruined 
poor piecing, bo h at back and fhere, as the overseer has important 
front; worn necks on roll; bent things to look after and watch verv 
rolls: stop motion not working closely or else the yarn will be 
properly; calender rolls not proper- ruined. T will now trv to explain 
ly set: trumpet too large for weight the important points to be looked 
of silver being run, and sliver not after in the spinning room. Bad 
as well condensed as it should be, yarn is made when lint is allowed 
sometimes seven slivers being run to gather on top of the creels; waste 
t^hrough instead of six, the tender allowed to gather around top and 
doing this on the sly so as to keep up bottom of skewers; skewers in bad 
more eashly; frames not being kept condition, broken creel steps; long 
well oiled, and last but worst, the pieces when setting in full rov- 



ing: skewer eyes and skewers set also). What has been said in re- 
down into creel boards, creating gard to rolls, saddles, stirrups, or 
more strain on the roving; roving weighting of rolls on either spin- 
guide rods not properly set, so as ning or fly frames will also apply 
to travel the proper length; roving to the others. 

guides partly filled with waste I think that if these points are 

and in bad condition; loose rings; looked after closely, there will be 

slack bands; allowing spinners to little danger of uneven yarn. Of 

fan off sides; travelers too light; course there are several other 

worn out steel rolls not kept clean- things that could be mentioned on 

ed; lint allowed to gather around this subject, but as I said in the be- 

separators; spindles out of plumb; ginning, the space is limited, and I 

guide wires worn out or not proper- think I have about covered the 

ly set; scavenger rolls not covered, space allowed. I will close by add- 

which will cause steel rolls to lick ing that if you carry out the mixing 

up ends and make a different diam- and picking as I have tried to ex- 

eter; saddles not correctly placed plain and then watch for the other 

on rolls; stirrups rubbing steel defects that I have pointed out, you 

rolls (this applies to fly frames will obtain an even yarn. 

Number Twelve. 



By J. W. OUZTS, Eufaula, Ala. 



I will give a brief outline of causes It is very essential that the lap 

of uneven yarn and some of their aprons on machines be kept in per- 

remedies. We will assume that the feet repair. You can ill afford to 

proper stock for the yarn being use a poorly patched up apron, 

spun has been provided, and begin There should be a sprocket wheel 

at thp mixing. This should be from connected to the gear on the end 

as large a number of bales as space of the apron shaft and a sprocket 

will permit, and at least 24 hours wheel put on the end of the rear 

old before using. shaft, and a chain connecting them. 

Waste should be mixed in with This gives a positive drive rear 

the pile or thrown into the feeder shaft which aids in propelling the 

at intervals by the tenders, but a apron and lessens the liability of 

separate hopper should be provided apron slippage. With the applica- 

to feed the waste in steadily, just tion of the lap splitting preventer 

heavy enough to take care of the behind the calender rolls and the 

amount of waste used. A hopper attention outlined above, an even 

can be built by any ordinary ma- lap that will not split will be pro • 

chinist and carpenter at small cost, duced. 

or purchased from the shops for a Of course it is necessary for the 

trifle. And it is well worth the tender to be careful not to let the 

price. laps run out. In putting laps upon 

Cotton should be torn up finely be- the apron, be careful to make an 

fore throwing into the hopper, so even splicing. Ends must not be 

that the feed at the breaker lapper lapped over and run in a lump, 

will be reasonably uniform. The A very accurate and sensitive lap 

breaker lapper must be kept clean weighing scale must be provided, 

inside, cage section in good repair, and six weighings a day made on 

lap draw heads even and of proper intermediate lapper in order to keep 

resistance. The fan speed should be them to standard weight. Every 

just strong enough to keep good cot- lap coming from the finisher should 

ton from going into motes. Set be weighed and a record kept. Only 

beater 3/16 inch from feed rolls, a very slight variation should be al- 

The above applies also to the in- lowed, 

termediate and finisher lapper. The Cards. 

eveners on these two machines re- All card sliver must be weighed^ 

quire constant and careful attention, and comparisons made after each* 

The moving parts should be kept grinding and setting to see that 

moving perfectly freely and pulleys slivers are of proper weight. Cards 

covered with white or red lead. To not stripping the same in flats or 

eliminate belt slippage, the telts cylinder .or both, or not making the 

should be very pliant and of a good same amount of fly waste, causes 

clinging material. variation in slivers. Tenders must 



be taught to splice in laps very 
evenly, and when part of the web at 
the dofifer falls down and the other 
part runs into the can, this must 
be pulled out and a neat splicing 
of sliver made. Every time an end 
is put up, it must be spliced to pre- 
vent unnecessary stoppage of the 
drawing frames, for every time one 
of these machines is started, there 
is more or less damage done to the 
sliver. It is best to strip each alter- 
nate card in a line. Do not put the 
end up too quickly, but allow the 
sliver time to regain its normal 
weight, before going into the can. 

It is absolutely impossible to make 
good smooth yarn from poorly card- 
ed stock. And to get good carding 
it is necessary to have a good, sharp, 
even-surfaced licker-in, sharp wires 
on flats, cylinder and doffer and 
close setting of the flats to cylinder. 
To keep the wire sharp, have a 
good sharp emery on the grinders, 
and gi'ind reasonably heavy. The 
writer has been in mills where the 
emery was used until it had no more 
cutting qualities than measle bumps 
on a nigger's face, and the grinders 
set so lightly that they could scarce- 
ly be heard. A man might just as 
w'ell be fanning at his cards with 
his old hat as to be grinding in this 
way, and good yarn cannot be made 
where this method of grinding is 
used. 

Cards must be kept sufficiently 
clean to prevent batches of fly from 
collecting and blowing or dropping 
to the web. Of course all cards 
should have the same draft. 
Drawing. 

Here is where a lot of mischief is 
done. I am very partial to leather 
covered top rolls. As most men set 
their rolls too closely, I will not give 
any rules, as this varies with the 
nature and bulk of the stock being 
worked. Drafting rolls must be 
properly geared and all gears in 
good repair, and perfectly tight to 
prevent lost motion when starting 
the frame. 

Defective trumpets are a fruitful 
cause of uneven work. The follow- 
ing will give an idea of the proper 
size for trumpets 45 grains sliver, 
9-64; 55 grains, 10-64; 65 grains, 
11-64. These should be bored with 
a straight drill and not reamed with 
a tapered reamer, as this tapered 
hole soon wears at the point and 
gives too much opening. 

Breaker drawing runs better with 
five ends up and a draft of a little 

28 



less than 5. This is true because of 
the curled and matted condition of 
the fibres, which makes it difficult to 
draw them evenly. So the shorter 
draft is more even. The second 
drawing is all right; 6 ends up and 
draft of six. 

In operating drawing, all of the 
cans should be put in at the back 
of a wholj frame at one time and 
nice, even splicmgs made. This 
eliminates the frequent starting and 
stopping which in itself is damaging, 
to say nothing of the singlings made 
from defective stop-motions, and 
doublings made when throwing ends 
up when stop-motion does work. 
All stop-motions should be tested 
once a week and corrected when- 
ever found faulty. 

When metallic rolls are used the 
front line of rolls should be re- 
placed with new ones, both top and 
bottom, whenever one or more 
ends begin to sag down on one side, 
or run slack entirely. These rolls, 
when they begin to v."-ar and col- 
lars get bumping, do a lot of dam- 
age, and play havoc with the break- 
ing strength. Drawing frames 
should be provided with a full can 
knock-oflf motion, aside from the 
tube gear lift knock-off. When the 
can runs sufficiently full to lift the 
tube gear, the sliver stretches under 
the resistance. 

Drawing should not be run at too 
high speed. A front roll speed of 
370 turns is too much. 

Drawing rolls must be kept clean, 
no lumps of any kind being allowed 
to collect in the flutes. Top rolls 
must be well lubricated, by no 
means ever allowed to be run dry. 

Drawing frame 'onders should all 
be well trained and taught the im- 
portance of doing their work prop- 
erly. 

Roving. 

When replacing can at the back 
of the slubber, they should be splic- 
ed in when frame is knocked off to 
doff, and these splicings run through 
to where they will go in the first 
few rounds on the empty bobbin be- 
fore slacking ends to doff. In this 
way these splicings are pulled off in 
the subsequent processes when 
creeling and do not go into the yarn. 
When creeling on intermediate and 
fine frames, the piecings must be 
made each end together, but they 
must not be made too thin. It is 
necessary for all top rolls to be good 
and smooth, well lubricated and 
free in motion. 



Few people watch their flyers times and prevents stretching the 

closely enough. The fingers on these yarn in places, 

must work properly and flyer be I did not cover combed yarn in this 

evenly balanced. Steps must be well article, but will say that in operat- 

oiled so that the spindles will run ing sliver lap and ribbon lap ma- 

steadily. The roving must be wrap- chines that what I said about rolls 

ped the same on all fingers. on drawing frames and prevention 

The tension on all roving frames of singlings and doublings; and 

must be well regulated and never cleanliness, will apply to these, 

tampered with by Ihe tender. All As to the combers, the needles in 

roving frames must be kept clean, the half laps must be in good order. 

Drafts must not be too short on rov- Nippers must be set correctly for 

ing frames, nor too long; 4, 5 and 6 the length of the cotton being used, 

are good drafts.^ ^ leather covered rolls smooth surfac- 

Spinning. ed and carefully varnished. Stop- 

You must have good straight motions must be kept in good re- 
spindles and good steps, and keep pair, laps watched carefully to pre-» 
steps well oiled, so the spindles will vent running in split and trumpets 
run steadily. Rings must be re- bored the proper size, all rolls well 
placed when worn. Travelers must lubricated. All machines should be 
suit the yarn and be changed before tested each day and see that the 
they are worn enough to cut the proper percentage of waste is being 
yarn. It is necessary to keep good removed. 

easy running roving skewers, and To make good yarn, and a good 
skewer steps in good condition. All impression on the trade, it is neces- 
roving must have sufficient twist to sary to have every machine in the 
prevent stretching between card and mill well lined and level and run- 
rolls. This applies to slubber and ning smoothly. No worn bearings, 
intermediate roving frames as well, sprung shafts and wobbling pulleys 

Spinners should be taught to piece should be allowed. The mill should 

up their ends without making a ^e nicely painted inside and kept 

gout and not to make doublings „,„ rp^ nufsidp snrrnnnHinffs 

when setting in roving. The frames ^if^^' ^^® outside surroundings 

and room should be kept clean. ^^^,^1"^ present a neat appearance 

Warp yarn should be spun on fill- ^^d living conditions for the body 

Ing wind traverse and a tension de- must be good in order to attract an 

vice similar to that used on a cone intellectual class of help, which are 

winder attached to spoolers. This more easily trained to do their work 

gives an even tension on yarn at all correctly. 



Number Thirteen. 



By G. B. McCRACKAN, New Orleans, La. 



The words "uneven yarns," are may be from any or all of the fol- 

sometimes applied to two separate lowing causes: Aprons slipping, 

and distinct classes of yarns, name- causing light or thin places in the 

ly: Such yarns as may be compar- laps, pickers not properly cleaned, 

atively even so far as the individual chokes getting wedged in the 

threads are concerned, but vary screens, leathers getting olT of the 

greatly one thread from another. In casing that encloses the ends of the 

other words yarns that are suppos- screens, evener motion not working 

ed to be No. 10s will vary from 9s properly, or some of the parts being 

to lis or even from 8s to 12s. The badly worn. The evener belt should 

other class of uneven yarns is yarns be set so that if one lap runs out 

that may weigh comparatively even on the apron it can move far enough 

—one thread with another— and yet towards the little— or fast end of 

each thread may contain a large the cone— to hold the feed up to the 

number of places that are much too same weight. A fair way to set the 

thick or too thin; and as the cause evener belt is about 1-3 of the 

and cure of these two troubles are length of the cone from the large 

different I will treat them separate- end. T have reference to the cone 

ly and in the order named. that drives the feed rolls. 

If laps are uneven in the picker Trying to run very damp and 

room it will greatly affect the even- very dry cotton at the same 'time 

ness of the yarn, and uneven laps or Irving to use compressed cotton 

29 



one day and uncompressed cotton back rolls altogether and let them 
the next day will have a very bad stay off for days until it would be- 
effect upon the evenness of the come necessary for the overseer to 
yarn. make a systematic search to locate 

Laps splitting at the cards,— dull the trouble. Where leather rolls 
cards, or improperly set cards will are used much bad and uneven 
have a bad effect on the yarn. work can be caused from bad rolls, 

Drawing frame stop motions not or from improperly oiling or poor 
working properly allowing frames varnishing. I have obtained excel- 
to run with one or more ends out lent results from varnishes made 
at the back, will cause uneven yarn, from receipes taken from the text 
Some times drawing frame ten- books of the International Corres- 
ders will get behind with their pondence Schools, but I know of 
work and in order to get caught up equally good results to have been 
quickly will slip in an extra can, obtained from other recipes. When 
thus having one end too many up metallic rolls are bemg used, espe- 
at the back. Again the help will ciallv after the rolls have been m 
some times pass card sliver around use for a long tmie, the collars that 
to the finisher drawing and as prevent the rolls from meshmg too 
there is usually a difference in the deeply will become worn, and as 
weights of the cards and breaker they all do not wear in the same 

proportion, some of the rolls will 
mesh a little deeper than the others 
and thus cause uneven work. It 
sometimes happens that even old 
and worn metallic rolls can be 
matched up so as to get fairly even 
work, but it is very important that 
great care be used when scouring 
the rolls to get each roll back where 
it belongs, for if they get changed 
up, uneven work is almost sure to 
result. Much uneven work can re- 
sult from the way the drawing frame 
tender gets up the ends at the back. 
I have seen drawing frame hands 
start a frame and throw the end up 
to the bite of the rolls and then 
drag it back two or three times in 
order to get.it to go in straight and 
all the time the frame was running. 
This caused a place from 1 to 3 
feet long to go through 1-6 light, 
and as there is usually a draft of 6 
on the drawing, it made from 6 to 
r n iif^rT.^r.L-^n 18 feet of light drawing and when 

u. H. OTCi^racKan ^-^^^ reaches the spinning it makes 

i\ew urieans, L.a. several hundred yards of light yarn, 

drawing sliver it will cause uneven* A good way to prevent this is to 
yarn. Too great a draft between have the cans behind the drawing 
front rolls and calender rolls will frames so arranged that the opera- 
contribute to both classes of uneven tive can walk right up to the frame 
yarns as referred to in the begin- and stick the sliver into the bite of 
hing of this article. A bad licker- the rolls. Another method that 
in on the cards will sometimes so gives good results is to have the 
mess up the cotton that it will draw drawing frames creeled in the same 
very unevenly at some of the subse- way that a slubber is creeled — that 
quent processes. Sometimes the is— start the frame with all full cans 
weights on the back rolls of a draw- at the back and when one can runs 
ing frame will be allowed to rest out break out all the rest and splice 
partly on the frame and partly on the pieces together in one can and 
the rolls. This will allow the second then splice in an entirely new set 
set of rolls to draw the cotton past of cans. 

the back rolls without drawing it Double and single roving on inter- 
out,, thus making the drawing too mediates and fly frames will cause 
heavy. I have known careless oper- uneven yarns, but as the difiference 
atives to take the weights ofif the here is so great that most of it will 

30 




be detected on the spinning or spool- 
ing and thrown out, I will not dis- 
cuss it further. However, it is a 
very hurtful practice to ignore 
single and double. If cotton is al- 
lowed to accumulate around the 
back steel rolls either on drawing 
frames, slubbers, fly frames or spin- 
ning frames, the increased size of 
the roll will cause them to take in 
more stock than they should, thus 
causing some of the ends to pro- 
duce roving or yarn that is too 
heavy. 

Where solid rolls are used in the 
front on spinning they should be 
very carefully watched and kept 
well oiled. The writer got into a 
good big hole once by not watching 
(his. We were spinning No. 12s 
hosiery yarn and there was quite 
a lot of yarn being produced that 
looked more like 8s. The bobbins 
were no larger than the regular 
yarn that was right but had twist in 
it to make it appear like double 
roving. A careful investigation 
showed that it was due to lack of 
oil on the top front rolls. This will 
also apply to shell rolls but to a 
less extent. 

I will now take up the discussion 
of the other class of uneven yarn 
or yarn that is cut or full of thick 
and thin places, etc. 

Too much waste or short cotton 
in the mix will cause the roving or 
yarn to draw very unevenly. If the 
rolls on any of the drawing or fly- 
frame processes are set too wide 
for the cotton being used, or if the 
rolls on the spinning frames are set 
too wide, uneven yarn will he the 
result. Too much draft at any of 
the above named processes will not 
only cause the yarn to be uneven 
but will make it very weak. Run- 
ning tention too tight on fly frames 
will streach the roving and cause it 
to draw very uneven at the next 
process. It sometimes happens that 
bobbins are bought at difTerent 
times from difTerent firms and some 
of the bobbins are much larger in 
diameter than the others. When 
bobbins of two or more sizes are run 
on a fly frame at the same time some 
of the roving is sure to be stretch- 
ed, and uneven yarn is the result. 

If the rolls on any of the pro- 
cesses are set too close for the cot- 
ton being used the stock will cockle 
as it comes through and cause 
lumpy or uneven yarn. Loose joints 
and badlv worn necks on the steel 



rolls are the cause of much lumpy 
or cut yarn, and I want to say right 
here that a fly frame roll may have 
a loose joint and yet make a roving 
that looks to be even, but when it 
gets to the next process the cut 
places will draw out and the roving 
or yarn will appear to be very 
lumpy. If chokes are allowed to 
accumulate around the joints of the 
back or middle rolls of a fly frame, 
or if they are allowed to run with- 
out grease or oil they will soon begin 
to run with a tremble, and the stock 
will appear cut or lumpy in the 
next process. If any of the readers 
of this article are troubled with 
lumpy roving, it would be to their 
advantage to go around and put 
their Hands under their steel rolls 
and see if they are running with a 
tremble. This is especially true of 
frames that are very long and have 
draft gears only at one end, or if 
they have draft gears at both ends 
mesh and thus cause all of the strain 
to be on one set of draft gears. The 
torsion or tendency of the steel rolls 
to twist will allow them to run 
with a jerky or trembly motion un- 
less they are perfectly free from 
chokes and well oiled. The cut 
places do not show until the roving 
is drawn out at the next process. 
Draft gears being set too deep, or a 
broken tooth, or gears not bored 
perfectly true all have a tendency 
to make the rolls jump, and cut or 
lumpy yarn is the result. Allowing 
under clearers to run without hav- 
ing cloth on them, or allowing a 
warped or bad one that will not turn 
to remain in the frames will allow 
the sliver from a broken end to 
catch in the threads and make some 
lumps; guide-boards getting too 
dirty will also cause trouble. Bad 
top rolls or shell rolls of difTerent 
size on the same arbor, or weight 
hooks resting on the back boards 
will all cause lumpy yarn as well 
as to make the work run bad. If a 
steel roll is sprung or bent it will 
cause the yarn to be cut. 

As to the cure for all classes of 
cut yarn I can only say: first locate 
the cause and then do all that can 
bo done to remove that cause and 
the uneven yarn wmII either be great- 
ly reduced or disappear altogether. 

The above is only a small por- 
tion of what could be said on the 
subject of uneven yarns, but as I 
fear that I am using too much space 
T will bring my article fo a close. 



31 



Number Fourteen. 



By A. C. ATKINSON, Claytx)n, N. C. 



The contest on "Cause and Pre- 
vention of Uneven Yarn" should be 
a very interesting subject to the 
overseers and superintendents of the 
Southern cotton mills, for at the 
best we can do our yarn ;s very 
often uneven. At the end of this 
contest, however, I hope to be, and 
hope others will be, benefitted upon 
this subject. 

Great care should be taken in 
selecting the stock to be opened; 
the staple should be as approx- 




A. C. Atkinson 

Clayton, N. C. 

imately uniform in length and 
strength as possible. It is ab- 
solutely necessary that the cotton 
should he well mixed, mixing as 
many bales as there is room to he 
opened, taking equal portions of 
the cotton from each bale and 
throwing it upon the pile. This cot- 
ton when being used, should be 
taken from the pile, perpendicular, 
as by this means a proportion of 
each layer will be removed to- 
gether. Where the cotton is fed to 
the automatic breakers, the hopper 
should be kept about two-thirds 
full, for if it is run over to start 
\ 32 



with and then let run down real 
low before any more is put in there 
will be an uneven lap to start with. 

The intermediate and finisher 
lappers have eveners and by keep- 
ing the eveners clean and active, we 
should get a good even lap. Have 
each finisher lap weighed as they 
are taken off 'lie machine and do 
not allow these laps to vary over 
one-quarter of a pound either way, 
for laps must be made even, if even 
work iij the following processes is 
expected. 

With good, even laps upon the 
cards, then the quality of the work 
depends to a great extent upon good 
grinding and accurate setting as 
poor carding means poor spinning 
and poor weaving. The card nand, 
in putting on new laps, should not 
be allowed to lap the ends, but place 
them in just behind the end that is 
running out. If the ends are lap- 
ped this will cause a thick place in 
the sliver. Do not allow the cans 
to iio run too full and tight, as this 
tends to stretch and weaken the 
sliver. 

The drawing frames are perhaps 
the simplest machines used in the 
carding department and are among 
the most important. The drawing 
frame is for the purpose of drawing 
out and and laying in parallel order, 
the fibers. The drawing and doub- 
ling also greatly reduces the unev- 
enness of the sliver. Very often 
when the carder has new help to 
work and they are not skilled 
enough to put on other machines 
he puts them on drawings. This is 
a great mistake. There should be 
a competent and painstaking per- 
son in charge. An improper work- 
ing stop-motion will let an end run 
through, then if you haven't got a 
good man on the job he puts up 
the end, but fails to pull out the 
single drawing that has passed. It 
may not be many yards, but by the 
time it has reached the spinning 
room it has increased many times 
its length and results is weak and 
uneven yarn. A very important part 
of the drawing frame is the top 
rollers, whether metallic or leather 
covered rollers. Also the hooks and 
weights are very important parts. 
If metallic rollers are used they 
should be cleaned once per week 
and all dirt and foreign substance 



removed from the llutes. If this is hunches to catch in with the work, 
not done the flutes become full of Hoving must not ho laid too close 
dirt and the rollers will be slightly on the bobbins as the layers will 
raised thereby causing cut sliver, ride each other, stretching the rov- 
When leather covered rollers are ing, nor too far apart, but should 
used they should be varnished re- be laid so as to give a smooth ap- 
gularly and often enough to keep pearance. 

them in good condition and with Another defect on frames is the 

and 
the 



varnish that will not crack and peel bobbin gears jumping here 
off. When they are taken out to there, which is caused by 



be varnished the section hand or gears being very dirty or not prop- 
the one in charge should examine erly set. When bobbin gears are 
each one to see if there are any with allowed to jump it causes the coils 
loose covering. If so they should to over-nde each other as they are 
be replaced with new ones, as they wound on the bobbins and when the 
will damage the sliver. The rollers bobbin is unwound at the next pro- 
should be spaced to suit the stock, cess the part of the coil that is re- 
that is being used. This applies to ceiving the pull may be under an- 
the length of the staple. other coil, which in most cases 
Wornout trumpets are a defect causes the roving to be broken 
on drawing frames and by all means back. If not broken back it will be 
keep the stop motion in the best of stretched, uneven work. The end be- 
order, whether electric or mechani- ing wound arouuu the pressor a dif- 
cal. The sliver on the fmisher ferent number of times, or allow- 
drawing should not exceed sixty- ing the eye and nollow leg of the 
two grains to the yard. In the slub- flyer to become clogged with dirt, 
bing process there is no doubling which will cause hard and soft bob- 
and is the first machine to put twist bins. Frame tenders should not be 
into the stock and wind it upon a allowed to make singling and doub- 



bobbin. 

Intermediates, Fine and Jack 
Frames. 

In each machine there is a pro 



ling. Singling is caused when one 
end running two iulo one is broken 
and the single end is allowed to run 
for a few layers. When the end 



cess of doubling. This adds to the 's pieced up the defective roving 
evenness of the roving, if the frame should be pulled oh. Doubling is 
is in good condition. Roving frame caused by the broken end m the 
tenders should not be allowed to ^bove case joining with the two 
take up or let off the tension, for other ends rurining along side, mak- 
great care must be taken in regulat- l^^ J,^^^^ ends running into one. 
ing the tension upon the roving. If Pil^l.^j^^Ln! ;^?»,„ "i^^"^? l^i'J^.,.^® 
too great the roving will be stretch- 
ed and thin and weak places will 
be the result. Top rollers on rov- 
ing frames should always be kept 



broken ends in the from running in 
with other ends. There should be 
no excuse for making singling and 
doubling. If the speeder tender is 



clean and well oiled, if not they making singling and doubling it is 

will run drv, thus causing cut and lie overseers fault. When speeder 

uneven work. All rollers should be !r"!L'^r.l"!l^^.^.^.^,r"'7"5 ll!^7 .'^I^^.'Y 

examined once per month and all 

bad ones replaced with new ones. , . . , . 

Steel rollers should be properly set Ij^^ DODpin. ,. . , . 

to the length of staple being used. \^'^ "^^ process making thick and 

Roving frame tenders in creeling 'nm places 



it and they should stop the frame 
and pull the defective roving from 
otherwise it will go to 



should not be allowed to lap their 
ends, but join the ends together. 



With the best of roving delivered 
to the spinning room if not under 



thus saving a thick place in the good, watchful management uneven 

roving y^^i^o will be made. Draft is a very 

Frames should be properly geared important item. I do not think the 

up, loose, worn, broken tooth gears ^I'aff should exceed fl2) twelve on 

and loose steel roller joints will double roving and nine on single 

i5ause cut and uneven roving. Keep rovmg, 10.50 or 11 on double roving 

the steel rollers clean. Do not allow would be much better as long 

laps to accumulate on them, thus f'^^^fts make uneven yarn, 
increasing the size and causing un- As I have said elsewhere the rol- 

even work. The creels and roller lers must be properly set to the 

beams should be wiped off and not length of the staple, which is from 

fanned off, as the latter causes 1-16 to 1-8 of an inch greater from 

33 



center to center of the rollers than 
the length of staple. If the rollers 
are too close together, the front 
roller will be biting the end of the 
staple before the middle roller turns 
it loose, thus causing cockley and 
uneven yarn. 

Avoid changing draft gears on 
spinning as much as possible, be- 
cause nine times out of ten you will 
make a thin place in each end. On 
the entire frame I find standard 
twist to be about the best, as too 
much tends to weaken the yarn and 
destroy the elasticity. On coarse 
yarns the travelers should be chang- 
ed before they become worn enough 
to chafe and cut the yarn. On fine 
yarn they need not be changed as 
they will fly off when they become 
worn. 

Use good top rollers and keep 
them clean and will oiled. Do not 
sacrifice the quality of your yarn by 
trying to save a few cents in the 
roller bill. Keep the weight levers 
in line. Do not have some of them 
resting on the creel board, this will 
not give a uniform weight on the top 
rollers, which will cause bad work. 
See that the roving traverse has a 
good stroke. Let it run as near the 



end as possible, without running out 
at the sides. It should not dwell 
upon the change. If the roving re- 
mains too long upon one spot it will 
wear a groove in the cot on the top 
roller and when the roving gets in 
the groove, the roller will not draw 
it as they should, thus causing 
lumps and bad places in the yarn. 
Have the roving wiped often enough 
to keep the creels clean and keep 
good skewers in the creels and do 
not allow them to be sharpened at 
the end with a knife, for this will 
soon cause trouble. The ends of 
the skewers will get brushlike, thus 
causing extra strain on the roving, 
making it break back and become 
stretched, thus making uneven yarn. 
Keep the scavenger rollers in good 
order and turning all the time, so 
as to catch the sliver as soon as 
the thread breaks. If the sliver is 
allowed to collect on the thread 
boards it will fall off and catch into 
the other ends, breaking more down, 
or cause lumps and gouts on the 
one next to it. Do not allow spin- 
ners to fan off or blow out their 
thread boards and back guides, as 
the lint will fly into the ends, caus- 
ing lumps and gouts in the yarn. 



Number Fifteen. 



Bv M. R.^CHRYSTAL, Commerce, Ga. 



Openers and Pickers. When doing this fill the place un- 

The picking department should der the heater with a narrow board 

have mbre intelligent care than it covered with tm Close all draft 

usually gets. Overseers should le^k^and you will save much good 

manage speed and feed to give 



plenty of time for cleaning both in- 
side and out. Dirty and gummy con 



lint cotton without in.iury to the 
yarn. These are good split lap pre- 
venters on the market and should 



ditions inside of pickers make very b^ used as split laps are a great 



uneven laps. Beaters should be oil- 
ed light and often. All parts should 
be carefully adjusted and repairs 



evil. 



Cards. 

Cards should have very careful 



looked after. Uneven and choked attention. All parts should be very 

drafts cause much bad work, carefully set to accepted gauges. 

Evener motions should be closely Great care and skill is necessary 

looked after, cone belts should be for good results. Grind light and 

kept clean and not too tight, use no often. See that you have no slack 

grease on them. All calender rol- fillets. Look closely after licker- 

lers and piano motions should be in teeth. When the teeth are un- 

taken apart and thoroughly clean- even and broken, have new clothing 

ed at least every two months. put on. although they do no carding, 

You should have a good sensitive they should be kept sharp, smooth, 

scale, and every lap should be and even, or they will not give good 

weighed and kept as uniform as results. 

possible. Beater blades should be Cards should be leveled and thor- 

kept properly sharp, and carefullv oughly gone over at least once a 

adjusted to accepted guages. If year, as a card out of level cannot 

pickers throw out too much clean be closely and properly set. T will 

cotton into the motes and fly. the not give any rules for setting as 

grid bars should be set closer, every skilled grinder has his own 

34 



rules, which in the main should be Keeping Numbers in the Carding 
right. I have found this the best Department. 
way. If grinder doesn't give good As my strong hold in the carding 
results, make hmi change his sys- department has been keeping close 
tern or you change your grmders. numbers which is vitally important 
Gnndmg" emery should be kept free to even yarn, I will give my views 
next two processes. I advise using on it. When my advice is asked 
the same system that I use on slub- about it I tell them that I keep 
bers in drafting intermediates and them in the three processes of the 
speeders. I am using it now with picking department and this is 
good results. Don't use bobbin that true, as uneven laps are hard to 
>are larger or smaller than the ac- overcome. Although I size my 
cepted sizes. Larger bobbins will drawing twice each day, in doing 
stretch the roving, smaller ones this I measure one yard from every 
will cause slack tension and soft from oil, or dirt, for best results, 
roving. I can not emphasize too Above all keep cards clean and free 
much the necessity of slack, uni- from all gumming substances, espe- 
form, tensions on all three fly cially about fronts, as gum and dirt 
frame processes. break many ends and cause uneven 
Spinning Frames. sliver. Don't fill cans too full. 
Spinning frames should be care- With light careful grinding cards 
fullv leveled and lined about once need not be stripped more than 
a year, and all parts properly ad- twice a day as they will not change 
justed. Spindles should be plumb- as much as heavier ground cards, 
ed top and bottom and thread Drawing Frames. 
guides set to spindles. Travelers a great deal of bad and uneven 
should be carefully filled to ring yarn is made on the drawing frames 
tlanges and changed fairly often, from lack of proper adjustments 
Rollers should not be set too close and close attention. The rollers 
or cockled yarn may result. All should be set at proper distance 
bands should be of uniform sizes or apart for the length of staple used, 
uneven twist will result. Bad top The distances apart should be grad- 
rollers make bad yarn, dry rollers uated in proportion to the bulk of 
injure the yarn. Dirty rollers make sliver and the amount of draft be- 
much waste and dirty yarn, rough tween each roller, on medium 
rollers make waste. Laps on steel counts and middling cotton I set 
rollers make uneven yarn, fluted my rollers as follows: 1 3-8 inch, 
leather rollers make uneven yarn, i 7_i6 jnch, and 1 1-2 inch with 
If used in front they make a finer good results. The tension between 
thread than a good smooth roller, front roller and calenders should 
If used in the back they make a be give and take as near as practi- 
coarser thread. Top rollers should cal. Metallic rollers will allow for 
be carefully lined to steel rollers, or more storm than leather, as they 
cut yarn many result. Roving leave a crimp that is somewhat 
guides should be carefully adjusted more elastic. A great deal of bad 
for the roving will run out at the uneven sliver is caused by badly ad- 
ends and break or cut the yarn, justed stop motions and waste clog- 
Lost motion in guides ruin the rol- ged spoons. When an end runs 
lers and badly cut yarn many re- through back roller without stop- 
suit. Good, clean top roller cloths pjng the attendant should remove 
are a necessity. Cot wires should the spoon, place it in sight on the 
not bear on rollers. It cuts the top roller cover and notifv the 
cloth. In all miUs where difl'erent fixer. (And leave the spoon out un- 
sized whorls are used the spindles til it is fixed). 

are liable to get mixed, causing un- When electric stop motions don't 

even twist and kinky filling. Care- stop promptly the first aid should 

fill dnffine- nrpvpnts much had ^^ ^^ ^'^an all electric parts, if that 

lui doHing prevents mucn naa ^^^,^^ remedy it notify the fixer, 

work, every broken end causes scour all metallic rollers every 

waste and lumpy yarn. Frames two weeks, as dirty flutes make bad 

should be very systematically clean- sliver. When cleaning don't mix 

ed and oiled. Eternal vigilance is rollers, or change ends, or uneven 

the price of good quality and quan- tension and bad sliver will result, 

tity. (All overseers and second Don't allow hands to use brushes 

hands please take notice). on rollers as it makes dirty work. 

35 



Here as elsewhere, keep things guides should be carefully set to 

clean. traverse a safe distance without any 

Slubbers. lost motion. This is also true with 

Slubbers should be leveled and carriage motions. Do not allow 
lined at least once a year and all bands to take up or let out tensions, 
parts carefully adjusted. All horse- or uneven roving will' result, 
head trains should have patent Pi*esser fmgers should be carefully 
washers and good jamb nuts. This adjusted to bobbins. Don't allow 
also refers to all parts that are l^elp to wrap the sliver more or less 
liable to jar loose. Much chopped than the accepted turns. If an end 
sliver is made on slubbers, as a runs slack, don't allow help to hold 
large bulk is drawn by compara- their thumbs on roller as it injures/ 
tivelv small rollers. The strain of the sliver. Break back the end. 
the drafts cause a vibration in the Careful cleaning and oiling of all 
rollers which does a great deal of Pai"ts should be enforced. A dry 
damage to the yarn. This doesn't roller will make uneven work, 
show in the roving, yet it makes a Spindle and bobbin gears should be 
choppy yarn; the longer the slub- cleaned and oiled systematically, 
ber the greater the damage. As to Hands should be taught to piece- 
drafts. I draw about one-third be- "P f^^^s without leaving thin and 
tween middle and back rollers and hard places. 

about two-thirds between front and It is not necessary to treat inter- 
middle rollers, thus my draft is 4 mediates and speeders, as my re- 
to 1. I do away with the intermed- marks about slubbers cover the 
iate gear between middle and back finisher drawing. I add these to- 
rollers. In its stead I use two gears gether and strike an average, but as 
fastened together. My back roller nearly all carders do this I am not 
gear has 30 teeth, middle roller gear enlightening the reader much, 
has 19 teeth, my double gear that What I wish to emphasize is your 
enters into back roller gear has 64 judgment about changing when 
teeth, my driver that enters into weights vary, which they often 
middle roller gear has 72 teeth, will. In heavy damp weather laps 
This gives a draft between middle will absorb much moisture. This 
and back rollers of 1.42, and be- can be overcome by making your 
tween front and middle 2,81. I set finisher laps from 1-4 to 1-2 pounds 
my rollers apart as follows from heavier according to the length; 
front to middle; 1 5-16 inch, and don't do this light weight drawing 
from middle to back 1 7-16 inch from will result. Do not change for even 
center to center. I have gone into little variation, but let your judge- 
this in detail as it is a new depart- ment have good play between the 
ure (as far as I know). The results lines. Keep an accurate account of 
are so good I wish others to try it. your weights and average them say 
As I use the same stand and stud, once a month. This will be a guide 
the two gears are the only extra to your judgment when your rov- 
expense. ing weights don't agree with the 

The tensions between front rol- spinner weights, look for a reason 
lers and flyers should be fairly in the spinning room, reel or on 
slack and uniform from the empty the frame. It will be a mutual help, 
to full bobbin. Slubber roving A good spinner will help his own 
should be twisted just enough to interest by cooperating with the 
carry it without break or strain carder. Consult together, give and 
through the next process. Roving take advice, and good will result 

Number Sixteen. 



By J. 0. EDWARDS. Pell City, Ala. 



On the subject of uneven yarn, ter how small your opening room, 
everv cotton mill manager, superin- Mix as many bales at a time as you 
tendent and overseer should be in- can if only five See that they are 
terested. I am sure that we all real- thoroughly mixed. If you can mix 
ize the importance of a thorough fifty, so much the better. Too 
mixing of the cotton to produce an much care cannot be given to feed- 
even yarn. This should be done by '"^ the cotton to the automatic 
carefully grading each bale before feeders. Hopers should never be al- 
putting it into the mixing, no mat- lowed to run lower than half full 

36 



at any time, and should be kept rubbing, improper stripping Cards 
two-thirds full all the time. should be stripped at certain times 

1 want to say here that the picker set too close, front and back plates 
room has in time been too much and when done, the end should be 
neglected, but we have begun to re- run into waste until it is full size 
alize that it is the foundation of again Let me say that a good grind- 
successtiil manufacturing. Evenness er is essential to good carding, for 
and regularity of the laps are im- if we do not have the proper set- 
portant to the production of even ^^^S' we will not have even work, 
yarns. The correct weighing of the '»enoe we will have uneven yarn 
laps on breakers, intermediates and at the spinning frames 

On the drawing frames we have 
many things that will cause uneven 
work, some of them being as fol- 
lows: gears not properly set; rolls 
not properly adjusted; too much 
draft between middle and back 
rolls; bent necks; badly worn cal- 
ender rolls improperly set; stop 
motions not working as they should, 
allowing singlings and doublings to 
pass through; poor piecing, both at 
the front and back trumpets too 
large for weight of sliver being 
made, so that the sliver is not con- 
densed as it should be; lop and bot- 
tom clearers not kept clean; chops 
on top and bottom rolls, whether 
steel or solid, not being the same 
diameter; rolls not properly spread 
for staple being used. All ^of these 
are causes of uneven yarn and 
should be looked after. 
Next we come to the slubbers, in- 
J. O. Edwards, termediates and roving frames. On 

Pell City \la' these we have many things that 

«„. , , ,, ' * ■ . , will cause uneven work. Poor piec- 

fim^hers and the proper adjustment ing at slubbers on back, long splices 
of the eveners is essential to good on rovirs frames when ^pftincr in 
carding, providing however, that all full boKbins hard^ends skelei'? 
things are in good order about the hunt on end camire friction on 
cards. It is important also to keep tl Proving and stSin-tr and 
^el'-^l?.^T.,^^tr^^ ''^'^' 1^"^- bottom cfeare?s not keVt dean; 
the latter wm /.n^P ^fhT.',^"' f P^o^l^^ cleaned top leather rolls 
nin to nnp ./hp .nH ^i^\''°i^°'' ^° ^o"^ 0^ varying diameters; laps on 
s^^i';d^?ap^s"\l^o'lr?efur'a^d\TL- S^e^ "1^ ^S'^n^Hl Jlt^nS^' 

ffe^^crn'diSTf ?^eX!'ttin7i ^^ wrSng^l^y"; ToHs^'b'ent-'irse 
leaveTttXichPr niS "^^"^ '^ .loints; worn necks; tension too tight 




leaves the finisher picker. 
Carding is the next important pro 



(frame hands should not be allow- 
ed to take up or let off on the ten- 



cess and is the back bmie of good ^^on) improner wraD^iT of the 

fSe'woTkS l°eft?lfoMrHr„/n'.'^' ^d^aroTn^fhe pres''s?r"lng°er, bad 

ce« ?erv iflf e ran ho rtnn*^'^.^' bobbins and nol filling properly: nv- 

llmieirwe have nf-fnv ?hi„t= fn thl '"''" ™t ^eing kept clean and the 

other processes tS^anse^nneven ^"""^ •'"'"'-' ""•'"? "hocks on them: 

n^1o^oi"/o''Vi?,"-de-"^^'S„^'"'j!: ^"n\"4rrn'it "ili^o^erf?' Jet blSk^ 



lash in gears; running "top 



ing loose on cylinder and doffer, im- ,.,,„ „. ,,„„„„. ruumue- 
pn.per grinding, and setting plates l^ill, '^Vob "'' in"?K afid 
stay in poor condition, feed plates chansin? bottom cone eear 

37 



rolls 

not 
and 



builder gear when changing from 
coarse to fine roving. 

We now come to the spinning 
frame. The work may be made ever 
so well in the card room and be 
ruined in the spinning room if the 
following things are not looked after 
and kept straight: Broken creel 
steps; blunt skewers; long pieces 
when setting in full roving; skew- 
ers left in creel board, thereby 
causing friction and stretching the 
rovin;allowing spinners to fan their 
frames at any or all times; roving 
guides partially filled with w^aste, 
causing unevenness in the yarn; 
rolls not properly covered and of 



different diameters; saddles not 
properly adjusted on rolls; stirrups 
rubbing against steel rolls; bottom 
steel rolls not kept cleaned and well 
oiled; running top rolls with grooves 
in them; weight levers not properly 
adjusted; too much draft; guide 
wires worn and not properly set; 
travelers too light or too heavy; 
worn travelers, worn or loose rings; 
spindles crooked or out of center of 
ring; bad steel rolls, such as flutes 
and necks being worn; loose joints. 
All of these causes are common and 
can be remedied by the overseer 
keeping constantly on the alert. 



Number Seventeen. 



By EUGENE HERRING, LaGrange, Ga. 



In discussing this question we are 
discussing one of the most vital 
questions concerning the cotton 
mill. 

Leaving out the gouts, which are 
mostly caused in the spinning room 
by carelessness in putting up ends, 
running without scanvenger rolls, 
or fanning off frames while run- 
ning, the thin places in the yarn 
cause at least 50 per cent of the 
yarn breakage in the weave room. 

The most of the twist runs to the 
thin places, which makes the twist 
at that point excessive. And by the 
time the yarn is run over the spool- 
ers, warpers and slashers, these thin 
places are dead and brittle, and 
easily broken. By being twisted so 
hard they don't absorb the size in 
slashing, even if they don't break in 
these processes ,which they do to a 
great extent, causing laps and lose 
ends in the warps that go to weave 
room. It is impossible to make good 
section beams on the warpers when 
the ends break excessively. And it 
is just as impossible for the slasher 
man to make good warps for the 
weave room. 

If the yarn is weak when it leaves 
the spinning frames, it increases in 
"badness" with each process that it 
goes through from there on. As 
each process from spinning frame 
on, is a wearing and stretching pro- 
cess. The strengthening and build- 
ing process ceases when it leaves the 
spinning frame. But these injuries 
are partly overcome by the sizing at 
slasher if properly done. 

The weave room becomes the 
dumping ground for all the careless- 
ness and mistake of the whole 



shooting-match fr m the man that 
bought the cotton on down to the 
slasher man. The opening and mix- 
ing, picker room, cards, drawing 
frame, slubbers, speeders, and spin- 
ning, each contributing its share of 
bad work and causes of uneven 
yarn. 

To start with, I know some mills 
that have their cotton bought in a 
haphazard way, not paying much at- 
tention, if any, to the length of the 
staple of each bale. They just pick 
it up in job lots as cheap as pos- 
sible. 

If there is too great a difference 
in the shortest and longest staple it 
is a mechanical impossibility to get 
a mixing that you can produce even 
yarn. Intelligent, careful mixing in 
many cases will partially overcome 
(he buyer's mistake. This first mis- 
fake though is like all the balance 
made in the different processes, the 
evil once done can not be entirely 
eradicated in any of the processes 
following this one mistake. Once 
wrong, it will go through wrong. I 
will not attempt to go into all the 
settings of the different adjustable 
parts of the picker room and card 
room machinery, as there are no 
sfandard settings that will apply to 
all classes of work and conditions. 
Keep the air currents right, the 
beaters at right speed according to 
class of work, and on any class of 
work keep the evening mechanism 
on the pickers in perfect working 
condition. 

Good horse sense and care is need- 
ol here, and this properly applied 
will get out some good laps for the 
cards. 



38 



But I think the majority of the 
thin places in the yarn is caused 



liis weights come pren-y bv©.-, wiat/w 
tliey may, but that is no sign the 



after the stock reaches the drawing quality is right to make even yarn. 



frames. The setting of the rolls 
from the drawing frames, the set- 
tings of the rolls from here on is 
responsible for even or uneven 
work. Roving stretched on any of 
the machines is ruined for making 



The spinner takes the product in 
hand and goes through the same 
process of "batting 'em" through 
without much, if any, thought of the 
man that has to follow him, just as 
the carder did him. Both getting 



even yarn. Roving with excessive by with good production in pounds 

with low cost, and the consequence 
is bad running work the rest of the 
way to the cloth room with a lot of 
second-class cloth. A lot of corres- 
pondence between the selling house, 
mill agent and the mill customers, 



twist in it will not draw evenly 
when being spun. The rolls on spin- 
ning frame set too far apart for the 
length of the staple will make un- 
even yarn. Rolls set too close will 

make the same or cockled yarn, mn/ ageni anu uib mm GusLumci^B, 
wnich is worse than yarn with thin and some times a oss of good cus- 
tomers, and a bad reputation on 
the market, and in dull seasons close 
down. 



yarn 
places in it. 

Here is where the bad mixing 
shows up in his best clothes and 
makes it impossible for the spinner 
to set his rolls to suit the stock, 
trying to get through his machinery. 
If he sets his rolls for medium 
length staple and a bunch of ex- 
tremely short hits him he is up 
against it. If extremely long hits 
him he is into it again. Though the 



Team work — intelligent team 
work — is needed in the mills, and 
will do more to cut out uneven work 
than any one thing. Each man in 
charge of the different departments 
should strive to give over the pro- 
duct to the next man in as good con- 



dition as possible. Everybody from 
best he can do isto neutralize his "^^ ^^.^ton buyer down should have 

rnll« nnH malro thprr^ n« fr>io,.HK. in OUC ObjBCt lU VIBW, VIZ., tO have the 



rolls and make them as friendly to 
both extremes as possible. And then 
the long, hard twisted staple will 
come through his rolls "pigtail" 
fashion and ruin his shell rolls. 

I don't think it is a mechanical 
possibility to make perfect yarn, 
technically speaking; but by intelli- 
gent team work from the man who 
buys the cotton, on down the line 
to the spinner, it can under normal 
conditions be made even enough to 
get out a good product in the weave 
room and make cloth up to the re- 
quirements of the customers of the 
mill. 

So much for the machines. Poor 
things, it is a pity some time that 
they have to do so bad and be blam- 
ed for doing the very thing that it 
is set to do, it is a pity they can't ad- 
just themselves some times, but as 
it is they depend on man to set 
them, and if the man in most cases 
would do his part as accurately as 
the machine, we wouldn't have very 
much uneven yarn. So the big 
trouble after all is the human ma- 
chine. To start with, the cotton 
buyer buys promiscuously. (There 
are exceptions, of course). The 
carder "bats 'em" through to get a 
big poundage for his report at low 
cost. (Which in some cases would 



finished product first class. I am 
sorry to say that some superintend- 
ents pinch down on the carder so 
close on cost that it is almost im- 
possible for him to get a satisfac- 
tory production in pounds and make 
it A-1 quality. The same is true 
of other departments. 

Another common tning in a lot of 
mills is unbalanced machinery. Not 
enough opening and picker room 
machinery. Not enough cards, not 
enough drawing, some shortage that 
necessitates over-speeding the ma- 
chines that they are shy on, making 
the laps too heavy, and various 
schemes to make the weak part 
keep up, which throws the drafts 
wrong on a lot of machines. All this 
makes bad work, uneven yarn, and 
causes a big loss to the company. 
Sometimes they lose dollars to save 
cents. 

I am not knocking, but it is the 
human machine that is causing most 
of the uneven yarn and poor quality 
goods from the mills of the South 
to-day. Get the right kind of su- 
perintendent and let him and the 
men in charge of each department 
work together in a friendly, business- 
like co-operative way. Garry in- 
structions and orders down from the 
head — the superintendent or man- 



be costly to the mill company, if it ager — down to the other end of the 



was put through free gratis). He 
gets his poundage 0. K., and says 



line in a military fashion. It won't 
be long until every thing will be 



39 



working smoothly with even yarn But I am about to get off on an- 
and good business. other subject, so I will quit. 



Number Eighteen. 



By J. L. DAVIS, Easley, S. C. 



In taking up this discussion, we 
have a broad one. There are so 
many causes for uneven yarn and 
also so many ways in which these 
causes can be eliminated. The first 
and one of the most important 
things in making even yarn is to 
use good average grade cotton. We 
all agree that a short, immature, 
irregular length staple will not draft 
even and make a uniform yarn. 
Another point very often overlooked 
is the mixing of the waste. We take 
the sliver and roving waste from 
the card room, the scavenger roll 
and cut roving waste from the spin- 
ning room, and in many cases there 
is' an unusual amount, carelessly 
thrown in. This waste, as it is be- 
ing fed from the opening or breaker 
room, is not mixed by the hopper 
tender and passes on to the different 
processes just as it was carelessly 
thrown on your pile of stock. Con- 
sider the results that will arise from 
this alone. 

Beaters on picker should not be set 
close enough to damage the stock, 
but by no means should they be set 
too far from the feed roll. In the lat- 
ter case, the beater will deliver the 
stock to the card in thick and thin 
flakes, making an uneven lap. In 
tvirn the card passes this uneven 
lap on to the drawing and roving 
frames. The more this uneven lap, 
drawing or roving, is drafted, in 
many cases with an excessive draft, 
the more and longer thick and thin 
uneven stock is delivered to the 
spinning. Drawing frames should 
be watched closely for lapped rolls, 
weights dropped when frame is run- 
nmg, gears worn and not set prop- 
erly, ton much tension on sliver be- 
tween delivery and calender rolls. 
These are great evils and in the end 
will result in uneven yarn. 

Now we come to the different pro- 
cesses of roving frames, where from 
time to time, if we are not careful, 
we will make uneven roving. 

Take the drafts. They are often 
made to supply the place of another 
slubber or intermediate roving, or 
jack frame, or whatever the case 
many be, with long overdraft, in- 
sufficient twist, old and worn roving 
skewers, trying to deliver roving to 

4t 



the next process. Let us not sup- 
pose that all roving processes are in 
such condition, but in many cases 
they are. Can we expect even yarn 
under such conditions? 

There is nothing like plenty of 
twist, all the way through on the 
different processes, especially the 
finer roving and jack frames. We 
have rules and ways to establish a 
twist to suit each number of roving, 
better known as standard twist. 
However, we cannot use this stand- 
ard twist any more, especially where 
the average 7-8 to 1 1-8 inch staple 
is used. Should we undertake to do 
so with the above mentioned evils, 
uneven roving and yarn will be the 
result. One great evil many a mill 
has to contend with, and is contend- 
ing with today, is leaving the sec- 
tion man on the job at noon and 
night and allowing him to put on a 
larger twist gear in order to gain 
on the next process, not count- 
ing the cost in stretched, uneven 
roving, and yarn, short production 
on weaving and high percentge of 
seconds. There are causes that ex- 
ist every day at many mills, yet they 
wonder why they have uneven yarn. 

One rule I believe should be ob- 
served is that no twist gear in rov- 
ing or yarn department should be 
changed without the knowledge and 
consent of the superintendent, in 
order that he might notify the next 
man in charge who received such 
roving or yarn. There is no end to 
the uneven yarn and roving that 
has been made and is still being 
made under such conditions or 
changes. A great evil we have and 
one often overlooked is operating 
roving machinery with too tight a 
tension. Oftentimes we have seen 
frames running where the ends 
would become so tight that they 
would break at the flyer presser. 
Where this is the case, how many 
yards are delivered to the next pro- 
cess, or spinning, unevenly drawn or 
stretched? 

Insufficient lubrication of both 
rolls and saddles on spinning and 
roving frames is responsible for a 
lot of uneven yarn. We have seen 
where the mandel or shell roll, or 
even the solid roll, become verv 



dry for the lack of oil. As the the spinning, as we have already 
frame moves ofif the rolls will lag, or discussed the spinning problems 
he slow in starting, thereby caus- where they exist, along with the rov- 
ing uneven yarn in whatever the ing frame problem, 
case may be. Bad rolls, flat or poor- in closing, I will say that these 

lv,f''^n^?"i®HlH''''.niic^l°!-o rinTihJ are simple remarks, but practical, 

cut. llat-sided rolls are responsible , . , • . • , 1 

for their part of uneven yarn. things which we come in contact 

I will not say very much about with more or less every day. 

\umber Miiieteen. 



By PAUL NUCHOLS, Cordova, Ala. 



Primarily, the cause ol ^ineven to the cards that will not tear them 
yarn is the uneven length of the up. Be sure that the card tenders 
fibres in the cotton, which is caus- start them in the card right, as a 
ed first by soil and cultivation, then lap properly made ill not split, 
by being gin cut, and last, but not The same thing can oe said of all 
least, by being cut and pulled in machinery that the cotton goes 
two through the ditTerent machines through. The machinery is care- 
it goes through before becoming fully put up by a shop which has 
yarn. If we could get cotton culti- a reputation to maintain and if you 
vated exactly alike, grown on abso- will adopt a set of rules to keep the 
lutely the same soil with the same machinerv in as near that shape as 
seasons .and only the fully open, possible ,it will help more than 
mature bolls picked and properly anything else. 

ginned, and then run through abso- ^he cards should all be kept set 

lutely perfect machinery, including ^like .even to all the different 

combers we would have perfect ^^^^^ j^^ing run at the some height, 

yarn. However, since tiiis is not rp^^g ^j^e should be kept tight and 

likely, I will discuss the best way of ^harp. The sliver ends should be 

handling cotton bought here and broken down at stripping and the 

there and run through the niachin- cylinder allowed to fill up before 

ery of the average equipped mill, piecing. Drawing should have a 

not including combers. 5e(.tion ^an with it all the time, as 

To save space, I will aiscuss ^^ ^^^^^^ ^^ j, ^ level, clean and 

things to do to prevent uneven yarn, properlv oiled. Everv stopmotion 

for If certain things will prevent i . ^^j,^ ^.^ working, everv part of 

tlien not doing hem wnll cause it. e.-g^v frame kept set alike, with 

To start With, do not buy gin cut ^^^ p^uj, ^d to suit the length 

cotton Grade your cotton into at ^^ g^aple vou are running. Worn 

least three grades as it is put m the hpapj^^s and nicked rollers should 

warehouse, or later. These should ^^ replaced, especially must the 

be the longest, shortest and me- bearings, for the drawing and cal- 

dmm staple, or the lowest, highest ^^^^^ %^^^ ^e kept in good repair, 

and medium grade. Then take the r^, ,, . , ■,. . . « 

same percentage of each kind for ..^^^it^T^^^^l,'^ 

your mix, that is if you have 2,000 ^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^ ^i,jn„ cleaning, and 

bales, one grade 1,000 another grade, ipyeling that will take care of them, 

and 500 another grade, and are run- The rolls, both top and bottom, must 

ning 35 bales a day, take 1 per cent be spread to suit the average length 

of each lot for vour days run. of staple being run. and the tension 

Now the machines in the opener l^ept without any pull to it, but not 

and picker rooms were put up slack. The top rolls must be kept 

clean, level, oiled and in good shape, in perfect condition and always siz- 

Keep them that way by adopting ed ^vhen they are changed, 

rules for cleaning, oiling, feeding. The same things can be said of 

weighing. That will take care of (he spinning. It must have rules 

your machines and your weights, for everything, oiling, cleaning and 

Pee that these rules are carried out. leveling .to keep the machines me- 

Have all worn bearings replaced chanically perfect. The rolls must 

with new ones. Get your work be spread to suit the staple and top 

through the picker room right and rolls sized when changing, 

then have a way to carry your laps The average overser knows how 

41 



to keep his machinery up, and make loam work among the employees, so 

rules to run by, but those who get that each man knows just what to 

in trouble do not see that their rules do and when to do it, or you have 

are carried out. You have to have not an up-to-date room. 



Number Twenty. 



By C. H. STRICKLAND, Belton, S. C. 



In discussing the subject, "Causes 
and Prevention of Uneven Yarn," I 
will begin at the opening and mix- 
ing room, supposing the grades of 
cotton have been properly mixed, 
as this is the foundation from which 
to start an even yarn. The cotton 
not being uniformly mixed will 




C. H. Strickland 

Belton, S. C. 

caus'^ an unevenness that cannot be 
remedied throughout all the pro- 
cesses. 

After the stock leaves the mixing 
room, it is delivered to the auto- 
matic feeder in the picker room. If 
the feeder is not kept in good run- 
ning order and properly fed, it will 
cause a lot of uneven laps, which, of 
course, make uneven yarn. The 
automatic feeder hopper should 
have as near the same amount of 
cotton in it all the time as possible, 
because when it is full it will feed 
heavier than it does when half full 
or nearly empty, so if the hopper is 
filled up and then let run nearly 
empty before it is filled again, you 

42 



see you have an irregular lap. The 
proper way to keep the feeding as 
uniform as possible is to feed the 
hopper about two-thirds full, then 
keep it as near that all the time as 
possible, and you will get a very 
uniform lap. 

This first lap we will call the 
breaker lap. Suppose we have a 
uniform lap from the breaker; it is 
then put on the intermediate where 
it is still liable to be made uneven 
if the proper care is not taken, but 
if the fan drafts are kept well reg- 
ulated so that the cotton will be 
laid on the screens in a uniform 
sheet, the lap apron in good shape, 
the laps not allowed to run three to 
the apron when four is the right 
number, the evener motion in good 
condition, the beater set properly 
(o the feed roll — there is not much 
chance for an uneven lap from the 
intermediate. 

These same rules apply to the 
finisher picker. The finisher laps 
can be as near uniform as possible 
and then not give an even sliver 
from the cards, unless the card is 
in good shape in regard to the wire 
being sharp on the cylinders, and 
the flats and licker-in and settings 
all accurate. The licker-in is one 
of the most important parts about a 
card when it comes to cleaning the 
stock and giving a good, even sliver. 
It is very important that the wire 
on the licker-in is kept sharp and 
hi sure that there are no high and 
low places in it that would prevent 
a close setting to the feed plate. If 
ll^e licker-in is uneven, it will jerk 
the cotton from the feed plate in 
an uneven sheet and an uneven 
sliver will be delivered from the 
doft'er. A close watch should be 
kept on the lap between the lap roll 
and the feed roll, also on the web 
between the doffer and bottom cal- 
endar rolls and coder calendar 
rolls, to be sure that no unnecessary 
or irregular strain is on the sliver, 
caused from lost motion in these 
parts. The trumpet in the coiler 
being too small for the weight of 
sliver being run, will cause excess 
strain and uneven work, also the 



roving cans being allowed to run too 
full and press too tight against the 
coiler will cause uneven yarn. All 
cards running on the same numbers 
of yarn should, as far as possible, 
have all the settings made the same, 
and even then there will be a slight 
difference in the weight of roving 
produced from each card, but it is 
impossible to get exactly the same 
results from a number of cards, al- 
though this variation can be reduc- 
ed by careful setting of all the 
cards. 

Lap splitting is a big cause for 
uneven yarn and should be remed- 
ied in the picker room at once. 
When a lap runs out on a card and 
a new lap is to be put on, it is very 
important to see that the card hand 
makes his piecing just right to 
avoid a thick or thin place in the 
sliver. 

The next process in most mills on 
coarse and medium numbers is the 
drawing frame, which is one of very 
much importance, even more so, I 
fear, than most carders realize, as 
this process is the last opportunity 
we have to correct, to any great ex- 
tent, the unevenness of the sliver. 
Therefore, it is very important that 
a great deal of attention is given 
this process. There are usually two 
processes for coarse and medium 
numbers; only one needs to be dis- 
cussed as they are principally the 
same. One of the first things I wish 
to mention on the drawing frame 
process is the draft. More uneven 
and weak yarns are 'made from ex- 
cess drafts than any other one 
cause in all the processes. Regu- 
late the drafts according to the 
staple used. On the drawing frame 
the draft usuallv enuals the number 
of doubling, but for metallic rolls, 
allowance should be made in the 
figured draft, the draft on metallic 
rolls being greater than the figured 
draft, due to the flutes on the rolls. 
To illustrate: If figured draft for 
a given drawing was 6, using metal- 
lic rolls I would draw about 5.85 
with 6 doubling. The setting of the 
rolls is also important. The dis- 
tance between the centers of the 
rolls should be regulated to suit the 
staple being used, the bulk of cotton 
being drawn, and the speed of the 
rolls. It is a good idea to have the 
cans so arranged at the back of the 
drawing frame that the full cans of 
sliver will be at the back of the 
ones not so full, then when one of 
the cans next to the frame runs 
empty, just remove it and push all 

43 



the remaining cans to the front and 
set the full can at the back. In 
this way the slivers are prevented 
from dragging over the tops of full 
cans and stetching them, causing 
uneven places in the yarn. When 
using metallic rolls, in the course of 
time the collars will become worn 
and let the flutes too deep in the 
mesh, causing the sliver to sag too 
much and occasionally it will lap 
and run through the trumpets 
double, causing thick places in the 
yarn. A simple remedy for that is 
to tile off the tops of flutes on the 
roll a little, being careful not to 
do too much, only enough to put 
t..e sliver back to the right tension. 
All worn gears or bearings should 
be replaced with new ones, as lost 
motion from these parts puts ex- 
cess strain on the sliver, making it 
uneven. The rolls should be clean- 
ed and oiled regularly. The stop- 
motion should be kept in good re- 
pair so that when a sliver breaks 
back, the frame will stop suddenly 
and avoid a thin place by not let- 
ting the end run through the rolls 
before it is pieced up again. The 
drawing hand should be taught how 
to piece up the ends when they 
break down so as to avoid thick 
places caused by making too long a 
lap in the sliver. When several dif- 
ferent weights of the card sliver 
are used, be careful not to get them 
mixed, as that would cause a big 
variation of the yarn. The fly 
frame processes are all principally 
the same and uneven yarn will be 
produced by them from any of the 
following causes: extreme draft, 
rolls not spaced to suit the staple 
of cotton, loose joints in steel rolls, 
rolls not properly cleaned and oiled, 
weight saddles worn and not oiled 
regularly, weights not heavy enough 
for stock being drawn, lost motion 
caused by worn gear or bearings, 
bad roving skewers, uneven tension 
and roving laid too close on bobbin. 
Most of these causes will apply to 
the spinning process also. If all of 
these causes are remedied on fly 
frames and spinning frames, with 
rings and spindles set properly, I do 
not see much reason for uneven 
yarn at either of these processes. 

There is also an unevenness caus- 
ed by variations in humidity due to 
changes in the weather. To illus- 
trate: When it is raining, the laps 
in picker room will absorb from a 
half a pound to a pound of water, 
which will dry out as the weather 
clears up, leaving the lap a half to 



a pound shy of actual cotton. They 
will gain more from a warm rain 
than from a cold one. When these 
laps that are made during a wet 
day, reach the roving and yarn and 
are mixed in with the roving and 
yarn that are made from laps made 
on dry days, it will cause both ir- 
regular numbers and uneven yarn. 
Some carders try to remedy this by 
changing draft gears on the differ- 
ent processes, but that is not a good 
practice, as he does not know just 
when to make these changes in or- 
der to keep yarn even. A tooth in 
the draft gear usually makes too 
big a change anyway. The best way 
to remedy this unevenness is to 
have a standard weight for the laps, 
then on wet days watch humidity 
and as it increases, increase the 
weight of the laps accordingly; say, 



start at one-quarter pound heavy, 
then if humidity continues to in- 
crease, go to one-half or three- 
quarters heavy or during long wet 
spells it is sometimes necessary to 
have an entire pound — then when 
the weather clears up and humidity 
decreases, the laps should be light- 
ened accordingly. In this way very 
nearly the same amount of cotton 
can be kept in the laps all the time. 
When roving and yarn are weigh- 
ing heavier on wet days, the drafts 
should not be changed as it is water 
that has increased the weight and 
it will weigh all right when the 
weather dries up. 

In conclusion I will say that to 
k<'( an oven yarn it must be started 
right and kept right, especially 
in carding and spinning processes. 



Number Twenty-One. 

By R. F. HARRIS, Lowell, N. C. 



Causes and prevention of uneven 
yarn is a broad subject. There are 
many causes and many terms used 




R. F. Harris 

Lowell, N. C. 
by buyers and weavers as to what 
constitute uneven yarn, such as 
thick and thin places and mixed 
numbers counts varving. The causes 

4/> 



are many and can be found in all 
departments of the mill. Uneven 
yarn will result from an improper 
mixing of any kind, especially 
of compressed and loose bales 
mixed in the opening room, 
unless the comprpssed bales 
are thoroughly loosened up, 
which is seldom or never 
done. When the two are fed 
to the opener in their natural 
state the compressed wnll go 
through leaving the loose 
bales, and causing an uneven 
lap to start with. To prevent 
this, run the compressed and 
loose bale cotton separately 
through the opener and mix 
on the intermediate picker, 
which is the only way to thor- 
oughly mix more than bne 
grade or staple of cotton. If 
inside of machine gets dirty or 
air passages become choked, 
it will cause uneven laps. To 
prevent this clean inside of 
machine at least once a week 
and air passages should be 
cleaned every day. There are 
many ways to make an uneven 
card sliver, such as: (t) Cards 
not all drafted alike. (2) Cloth- 
ing dull and settings bad. (3) 
Laps too heavy per yards and draft 
too long. (4) Laps doubled at back 
when replacing and cans running too 



full. (5) No regulai'ify abuut strip- to break there are thousands of 
ping. To prevent this see that all yards stretched almost to the break- 
cards have the same draft gear on in& Point. It's a bad practice for 
side shaft speeder tenders to take up catches 
^ . , ,' ■ ,^ , ,, . . J ,, , to make ends run tight. The first 
Grmd before the clothmg is dull and few layers of the set stretching and 
set every card as near the same and making uneven roving. Rolls be- 
as close as condition will admit, coming dry or waste being put 
Run a light lap and short draft, under clearer or anything that will 
which IS best, especially on long retard the action of the roll will 
cotton. Have operatives put ends cause a much heavier roving. Too 
together and not double when re- heavy a slubber roving run on in- 
placing laps. Have the cans chang- fermediates with short draft will 
ed before they are too full. cause an uneven roving. Singling 

Have the cards stripped at regu- and doubling from speeder cause 

lar intervals. When the wiro is full lots of uneven yarn, and every su- 

the card is producing uneven sliver perintendent and overseer has had 

and dull cards fill quicker than a to deal with this trouble. The best 

sharp one. When stock is combed remedy is to dock the hand that 

much uneven work is made in the makes them and pay the one that 

sliver and ribbon machine, by the finds them. Pay twice as much for 

drawings rolls being improperly set doublings as singles. As some of 

and not being properly varnished the singles will break at the suc- 

with a good varnish. This causes ceeding process and doubling will 

thick and thin places. When the not produce a very undesirable yarn, 

aspirator is used on the comber and ^ bad leather roll will cause un- 

the air passages become choked even roving because the roll does 

or some combers taking out more the drawing out of the fibers 

waste than others causing the ends and it is false economy to use cheap 

to run s ack on the table and in- stock in roll covering. Rolls should 

variably the wrong thing is done by be all spaced alike for if one speeder 

changing the gear to make ends run jg set closer than another, it will 

tight, thus causing more uneven cause a much heavier hank roving 

work. The waste should be taken As to spinning it is a continuation 

on each comber once a week to as- of drawing and much can be done 

certain if tliey are all taking the and left undone that will result in 

same percentage of waste. If not, bad and uneven yarn. Rolls im- 

correct the evil. Do not add fire to properly spaced, or rolls not all 

the fla.me by changing the gear to spaced alike on the same counts, 

make the ends run tight. Much un- spaced too close will cause knotty 

even work will result from drawing yarn. Too wide will cause thin and 

frames if not properly looked after, thick places. Rolls should be clean- 

s^"h as roll speed too high, causing ed and oiled periodically as anything 

the rolls to jump. And having the that causes the roll to dwell will 

slner such that will cause the bulk cause uneven yarn. A bad leather 

of cotton being fed to be too heavy, roll will cause lots of uneven work 

will aggravate the above cause. The and should never be allowed to run 

hole in the trumpets being too lai\He if grooved or worn. Use plenty of 

will cause the ends to run tight, rolls covered with the best mater- 

stretcliing the sliver. Another cause ial to be had and this alone will 

of uneven sliver is the second or prevent lots of uneven varn. All 

third roll collecting until it has a liiil and llv should be kept if possi- 

lap across the whole surface, run- sible off the yarn as it causes thick 

nine sometime from one clearer places which is uneven yarn. For 

picking to another. If the roll this reason the ceiling motors and 

weights are not kept evenly hung, shafting should be cleaned at noon- 

the rolls will jump, causing thick and time. The sides shouldn't run too 

thin places in the sliver. long before brushing not the sweep- 

We will consider slubbers, inter- er allowed to knock under and drag 
mediate roving and jack frames un- out from under more than three 
der one head. There are many frames. If allowed to go the whole 
things in the speeder room that width of the room the accumulation 
can cause uneven yarn. The ten- is so great that lots of the lint will 
sion is mostly considered the source be caught up by the bands, then on 
of most of the uneven roving and the yarn causing thick or uneven 
it does play an important part. If places. The yarn should be hand- 
some of the ends are tight enough led with care after it leaves the 

45 



spinning. The spindles speed on bands, causing slack twist. Anoth- 
spooler should not be such that will er way much uneven yarn is made 
cause the yarn to stretch or the is by getting the different counts 
guides set so close as to chafe it mixed after they have been twisted, 
and different counts can be mixed This can be avoided to a certain ex- 
at the spooler, causing an unevenly tent by having different colored bob- 
twisted yarn. After the yarn is de- bins for each count and twist. These 
livered to the twister comparatively are a few of the causes and pre- 
even, it can be twisted in such a ventions of uneven yarn in a yarn 
way as to make it uneven, such as mill. 
doubling and sinj^lings are slack 

Number Twenty-Two. 



By J. A. SORRELLS, New Holland, Ga. 



Cotton should all be graded. Get the feed gear, slack evener belts, 
the average grade and mix to suit bad oilings, or bearings running dry 
the grade. Set the machinery or and sticking up, evener gearing not 
rolls to suit the grade and mix as ^^^^g j^^pt in good shape, 
many as 10 bales for a mixing using The clothing on the cylinder 
a little off of each bale at a tinie. g^^^j^ j^^ Q^j ^.^^ ^^^ ^^^ 
If possible, mix today what you ^1^3^; g g^^t ^^ ^l^^l^'flllg^ ^,^^^^0^ 
need to run tomorrow g^^^^^ ^^ it and card the stock 

Keep the opener or breaker hop- ^^^ properly. The clothing on the 
pers evenly fed, preferably about cylinder doffer flats and th? licker- 
3-4 full as heavy feeding at dif- -^ ^^^^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^^ g^^ ^^ 
ferent times vvill cause light and g^^ ^^^ amount of stock going 
heavy laps. If you use the trunk through it. Uneven settings meaS 
system, see that your drafts m the ^^^^^^ j^ ^^^ licke?-in has 

fan flues are kept clean and that j^^^j ^^j^^^ j^^^g ^^ ^^^g ^^ ^^^^ 
It loses no draft, so that the cotton g^^^^^g ^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ -^ ^.jl 
can be evenly spread on the con- ^^^g^ ^j^^^^^ unevenness. 
denser screen. Fanning or running up and down 

White drawing or rovmg as well t^e card allevs will cause the sliver 
as scavenger roll waste should be to break, and loose matter to float 
mixed in even during the day's run. jn. The sliver, once broken, drops 

Have the fan speeds in excess of down a trifle and is more than 
the beater drafts. Let the fan speeds iji^eiv to catch on in a bit and 
or drafts just take care of the draft double back in, causing thick and 
of the beaters at all places, so that thin places. Cards not being strip- 
the cotton will not float around over ped cleanlv and regularlv will cause 
the screen, but be strong enough to them to All up and not do their duty 
catch the cotton as the beater in properly carding the flbres out. 
knocks it over and sucks it to all Flats ground dowTi too low before 
little open places in the screen, as reclothing will loose their carding 
it revolves. This assures you of an strength, and the same is true of 
even spread. See that the dis- weak cvlinder fillet that has gotten 
charge pipes are kept clean, watch soft and rotten, 
the blowouts on the sides of the The ends should be broken down 
draft flues, commonly called "back at the coiler heads while strip- 
draft." ping out the doffer. Then they 

The lapping of the aprons should should be carefully pieced together 
be done by having two about half after it has run enough to come the 
full and two full, which gives you a usual size. 

uniform weight on your aprons, in setting the laps on the back 
assuring you of good running of the of cards, care should be taken not 
aprons, and no slips by being over- to let the old laps, or the last part 
weighted at one time and overrun- of the one on the card, run entire- 
ning at another. ly out, as it is thicker than the 

In lapping up full laps, it should other portion of the lap. About 36 
be done by letting the end just inches should be broken out and 
running out just come together, end put in the white waste, then the 
for end .with the one you are put- new laps carefully pieced end for 
ting on. Avoid broken gearing in end. Worn out gearing on the feed 

46 



roll shalting will cause irregular and reliable hands on the job, just 
feeding of the laps, making uneven the same as you would pick out one 
^ork. tor the roving frames, and try to 

Runnmg the cans too full, makes educate them to the meaning of 
friction against the coiler, strain- and the necessity for, good work 
ing the sliver, and making it un- at this machine. ' 

even. Slubbers, in some respects, will 

If split laps are allowed to run, include the intermediates, speeders 
then straighten out on the back of and jack frames. First of all, we 
the card and the uneven sliver not must have all gearing in good con- 
taken out of the cans down to dition, and then set well, so it will 
where the sliver was before it split, not slip or crawl and quiver. Do 
the sliver will be uneven all the not draft too long, or have any more 
way through. DofTer combs run twist in the roving than is neces- 
too high will stretch the sliver. A sary to keep it from breaking back 
little waste accumulating on the at the next machine, as hard twist- 
cylinder screen next to the doffer, ed roving is hard to draft out. Then 
as it usually does, will cause it to the proper tension is to be consid- 
rub against the dotTer as it re- ered, as it is one of the most es- 
volves and cause bad selvages, or sential things on a roving frame of 
if in the center or anywhere, will any kind. Start the frame off at 
cause little holes in the sliver and doffing time with the ends just 
eventually pull off and go through, wavering a bit, then use the proper 
This means places with little holes tension gears to carry the cone rack 
in it, and others with lumpy places, out until the bobbins are full. That 
When such places are found, the will give you the same soft tension 
card should be stopped and the without any stretching. Doff them 
dirty and rough places wiped off. just before they fill out to the 

First of all have the frame rolls linger, 
and gearing wiped clean, good gears. Caliper all bobbins and use none 
and gears set properly. Dirty that will not caliper within one 
drawing frames mean cut or un- thirty-second of an inch of one an- 
even sliver, which is also true of other. Then you can set the ten- 
bad gearing or poor gear setting, sion very close and keep it. Allow 
Then if the frames are not kept no roving frame hand to put chokes 
oiled as they should be it means up under the clearer boards to 
dry rolls and vibrating rolls from squeeze up on the shell rolls to 
being dry, causing unevenness. make some end stay up that has 
Calender rolls drawing the sliver been broken down for a change or 
too tight will cause stretched places two of the carriage. Clean and oil 
in the silver. Some trumpets be- the arbors or mantles once a week, 
ing bored too large while others which also applies to the back and 
on the same frame are smaller, will middle rolls. Keep the chokes out 
cause some ends to run too tight, from the solid rolls and under the 
drawing thm places, while others saddles and see that the latter have 
run too slack and sag, occasionally oil on them at all times. Also see 
catching up by looping through the that the stands on the steel rolls are 
trumpet making a knot in the kept oily and clear of chokes around 
^"^®^- . ^ ,. the stands. The flutes should not 

Excessive speeds, creeling not be scarred up, the necks in steel 
properly done m the cans on the rolls should be good, so as to allow 
back of the drawing frame, making no back lash, and the roving 
doubling or singling on creeling traverse in good working order 
them, all means uneven work. See that the spindle and bobbin 

Drawing frames should be creel- gears are oiled regularlv, also the 
ed m all at one time by carefully spindle steps. Never allow them to 
piecing the ends together. When become dry, or any other running 
calender roll necks get worn down parts on the roving frame. In creel- 
it is hard to get even work. Keep ing the roving frame see that ends 
the knock-off motions working, are pieced together and not stuck 
properly. Cans which are rough at in, therebv making a three-ply 
the top will cause the cotton to orooling. instead of a two-plv Have 
Hmf ?n f?^l te^' ^M^^^^^^"^ fr^ ^^'^^ ^'^ewers and good "skewer 
w^v ininZ. IhSL''''" ^'"^ ^^^''' '^^^^' as inferior ones cause the 

n.o fhi.S ■? ?^^^- ♦ 1 , l^obbins to pull hard and stretch 

One thing, is to try to keep good the roving. Use the same precau^ 

47 



tions as to oil, gears, tensions and 
otiier causes on roving frames, as 
mentioned above. 

Try to prevent strong winds 
blowing through the windows into 
the room, as they cause tlying lint 
and waving ends at different places. 
Some ends will be irregularly brok- 
en down part of the end will catch 
in and draw itself into the running 
stock, especially on cards and 
drawing frames, causing uneven 
work. 

Try to keep the temperature of 
the room as near constant as pos- 
sible as the conditions will allow, 
once you get the average temper- 
ature, you have but little trouble 
with the drawing and roving frame 
tension, which is one of the most 
dangerous things to even yarn. 

The leather top rolls should all 
be calipered. the shells matched, 
the flannel of a regular thickness 
and cots stuck so as to allow the 
laps just to cover and run them 
off of the laps instead of against 
the laps of the cots. They should 
be stamped by the roller shop man 
to show which way the cots are 
stuck. 



Spinning frames are almost sim- 
ilar to the roving frames. First, 
we must have good gearing and 
good settings. Then good leather 
rolls and good oiling of top rolls 
and keep them clean, also good 
banding. Do not allow slack band- 
ing. Isc tilt' traveller that runs 
best, and 99 times out of a 100 it 
is the traveler that should be used, 
for good spinning depends a lot on 
a well suited traveler, the quality of 
roving being good. Fluted top rolls 
should not be used. The oiling 
should be kept up with on all parts. 
Spindles kept set right, plumb, and 
guides to suit the spindles or direct- 
ly in terms with the spindles. Keep 
the roving traverse in good work- 
ing order, the skewers and steps 
in good condition. Allow no fan- 
ning' off and be very careful in 
wiping off guides. It is bard to 
make even yarn with loose bolsters 
and dry spindle steps. The setting 
on all rollers in either the carding 
or spinning should be just so wide 
as to escape the staple. Use no 
excessive drafts on any drawing 
process. The shorter the better, to 
a limited degree. 



Number Twenty-Thrpp. 



Bv X. L. WRITTEN. Elberfon. Oa 




N. L. Whitten 

Elberton, Ga. 



The cause of uneven yarn starts 
with our cotton buying system. In 
most cases the buying is done by one 
who is ignorant of the spinning of 
even yarn and the importance of 
a uniform length staple, as well as 
fully matured fibres. He is partly 
guided by a very small fraction of 
a cent per pound, which should not 
be considered in cotton buying. The 
difference in the cost of the stock 
will more than overbalance the loss 
in waste and seconds if we prefeni 
to make even yarn. Stains are nut 
to be considered. It is the length 
of, and the quality of the stock, and 
yet just as important is the uni- 
formity of the length of the staple. 
If we use 7-8 inch to 1 inch, or 1 1-3 
inch staple, the cotton buyer should 
set up his standard and stick 
around it as close as he can. He 
should have a knowledge of the 
trouble the carder and spinner will 
have trying to find the right setting 
of the rolls in order to draw even 
sliver roving and finally yarns from 
a great variety of lengths of stapi^. 

The opening room should have 
space enough to permit opening as 



48 



many bales as we have grades, to sliver when it goes into the drawing 
be spread in as thin a layer on the frames 

tloor as can be reasonably done Drawnig frames should be well 
quickly by hand. One grade cleaned and oiled. Rolls setting and 
directly on top of the first grades draft here means more than is ap- 
spread and so on until all grades predated and should be attended 
are open and spread. When U3ftd (o by the foreman personally. If 
m the hopper, the cotton should be the draw frame does not deliver a 
used down through the spread to the good sliver, find the causes and 
tloor. The hopper should be kept and remedy same before you ruin 
about two-thirds full at all times the future process. The trumpets 
to insure as uniform breaker lap as condense the sliver in a compact 
possible, so the evener mechanism I'tJ^'e should be small eiiougli to 
will not have to jump from one ex- strand, but not enough to stretch it. 
treme to the other. As we know the AH trumpets on drawing should be 
evening process starts right hci'o ol a uniform diameter, in proportion 
and cannot be attended too closely, t-o the weiglit of sliver passing 
The beater speed should be well through them. Uniformity means 
down, as most carders are running evenness. The stop-motions should 
the staple by excessive beating. The ^^^ work quickly and accurately and 
air currents should be understooi ^^^ sliver in the cans should be 
and watched carefully to properly handled with great care to the slub- 
oarrv cotton to the screens and in- ^^er. Set close the rolls for the 
sure an even lap. length staple, and keep good leather 

All finisher laps should not vary rolls on at all times. If you expect 
over one-third of a pound. If they even roving, use good rolls, and 
vary more, they should be prompt- keep rollers oiled well, and clean, 
ly returned to the back of the ma- Above all else watch the tension, 
chme and run over again. The fore- as more unevenness is caused by 
man in charge should watch thi« carelessness in attending to the ten- 
process here if he expects to hohl sion in slubbers and the following 
his weights in the latter processes— roving frames than any other thing, 
and made even yarns. Laps should except overdraft and too much 
be handled with care to the cards, twist. Paintaking efforts are re- 
as ragged edge laps mean uneven- quired here by a close observer, as 
ness, and weak work on through. we have changes in atmospheric 

Cards should be well cleaned and conditions that will ruin th§ future 
oiled, and above all else, the cards evenness if not arrested. Cleanli- 
require the most delicate settings ness should be our slogan through- 
and the very highest skill in grind- ^^^ ^^^e roving processes. Take an 
ing. We must not stint our grinders '"^®^,®f '^v, ^V ^^® • skewers. They 
On fillets. His grinding rolls should be kept pointed and free of 
should be covered with the bes* ll^^ ^o as not to stretch the roving, 
fillet and kept in good shape at all ^^^ ^a^ie thing applies to the spin- 
times, regardless of the cost of do- T"^"^^ skewers. After cleaning, lu- 
ing so. We should encourage him bricate and watch them run. 
to use new fillet unsparingly, for it Set rolls as close as the stock will 
is the best investment we can make permit, and above all, do not use 
It has often been asked how often bad rolls. Replace with good ones, 
should cards be ground. The time all which are worn or badly cov- 
to grind is before they get dull. If ered and keep bands on spindles 
we expect good carding we must tight, with spindles plumb and 
keep the cards sharp and free from guides in center. Use a traveler 
hooked teeth. The teeth should be neavy enough to keep the yarn 
well burnished. Very few agree on from chaffing against the separat- 
the best setting, but we can get ors, or you can expect unevenness 
good results from almost any of the here. Spinning rolls must be pick- 
close settings, if we adopt a stand- ed at regular intervals and kept 
ard setting and stick to it. Unifor- cleaned and well oiled, not oiled at. 
mity in card settings means uni- The weight levers and weights 
formity in evenness. should be looked after closely and 

The trumpets in the coiler head travelers changed often. Do not 
should condense enough to admit as ^vait until they wear out. 
much sliver in the can as possible. When we have efficient cotton 
to insure against stretching the buying, grading and mixing and 

49 



system throughout the carding and 
spinning, with close co-operation 
with the superintendent, even to the 
details, we will have attained some- 
thing worth while, and when the 
yarn is examined, we will find that 
it is reasonably free from imper- 
fections. 

We should not stint on card fil- 
lets, grinder fillets and comb belts, 
rollers and travelers. If we do, the 
result is uneven and weak yarn. 



It is the little things that get by 
us that cause uneven yarn. So, if 
every one connected with the mill, 
from the president, cotton buyer, 
on down through the mill, will 
get on his efficiency cloak, stay on 
his tiptoes and watch the results 
with a thought for the poor devil in 
the weave roon/, who is supposed to 
make 99 per c»'.nt perfect goods from 
imperfect 3'arn8. 



Number Twenty- four 



By R. A. WHATLEY, LaFayelte, Ga. 



To prevent uneven yarn altogeth- 
er, we first have to get our farmers 
interested in manufacturing to the 
extent to realize that mixed staple 
will affect the manufacture of his 
product. 

To prevent uneven yarn, we 
must first have it to contend with, 
and then prevent it. We are then 




R. A. Whatley 

LaFayette, Ga. 

able to tell how we did it, and to 
know the cause we must first exe- 
cute our ideas and see if they are 
the remedy. Then follow up the 
remedy until we find the theory is 
right, apply the remedy, and see if 
it will do the work. Such is the 
experience that I am going to men- 
tion. 

50 



Cotton and Its Faults. 

We have in one farming section, 
with which I have had experience, 
five or more different staples of cot- 
ton grown and sold to one mill, and 
each one originated from different 
soils and under different climatic 
conditions. After careful study of 
them and their staples, I give the 
names of them. First we have the 
Russell big boll, which is coarse, 
heavy staple. Then the Cleveland 
big boll, which has coarse, large 
staple, Cook's improved early, with 
small staple in diameter, and short. 
There is also the half and half cot- 
ton, with which very few mills are 
not acquainted, with its fine produc- 
tion of motes and fly and other 
waste that it produces, King's im- 
proved early, is small staple in 
diameter, and short, Perry improved 
is medium length staple of large 
liameter. Bank account is a late 
cotton, with a tendency to be very 
uneven. It seems to be a mixture 
of several other staples brought out 
fo compete with higher grades and 
high productive cotton. 

Not being the farmer or the 
buyer, I could not overcome the 
staple proposition, but had to meet 
the conditions the best I could. We 
Qnd the gin trouble, also, in uneven 
work. When we had the old time 
gin, the ginner was working to gin 
the cotton the best way he could. 
Now he is trying to see how many 
bales he can gin. not giving the 
manufacturer a thought. High gin 
speed means cut staple, more waste 
and uneven work for the superin- 
tendent and overseers to explain. 

Pages could be written of things 
to prevent uneven yarn, before the 
cotton is opened at the mill. 

Here is what I followed up, and 



I got satisfactory results. After on coiler top. Read the Uiermometer 

opening the cotton and selecting the at least four times per dav, twice 

nearest grades, keep at least one in forenoon and twice in afternoon, 

day s run ahead of the opener and and see that it is near same. When 

mix well. Never allow, where you stripping out be sure that the card 

have an automatic feeder hopper fiUs up before putting up end. A 

to be over three-fourths full few inches here on each card four 

never let it run lower. So much is times per day will affect the weight, 

being said about high and low Just a few inches of split lap on 

speed beaters that I will only say card with 90 draft will make several 

that it is folly to run them at the yards of uneven yarn when it goes 

speed found in most old mills. through first and second drawing 

When looking for trouble from slubber and intermediate fine frame 

uneven weights, I look at the motes process. 

under the opener. Then I see if The setting of cards would take 
anything is affecting the air cur- pages to tell. Watch the sliver 
rent. If I find that right I look after from doffer to delivery roll, as just 
the feeder and see if there is any a little from bad selvage here and 
lost motion in the carrier or apron a little there will make a vast dif- 
feed. If no trouble there then take ference. When you find one run- 
lap from breaker and see if any thin "i"8 with fiber splitting stop the 

places appear. Examine the mote f/l^ f^'^tZ^lfL^'"'^ '^^ ^^^ ''^"^" 
box again and see if any staple is "°" ^^ me silver, 
going in mote. If so I go to screens _, Drawing Frame. 
and see if they are all right. If TJie drawing frame is a very im- 
I find no thin places in the lap, I Portant process and has very little 
weigh the whole lap and see if the attention given. It should be given 
weight is right. Never stop on "^o^e attention. The knock-off 
weighing one. Then if I find they should be in perfect order all the 
are right I go to the intermediate ^\"^^' ^^^^^^^^}^^ ^^o"/^ ,^^ S®P^ 
picker and go through it. If the ^^^an. The fiutes in steel rollers 
weight of whole lap is right, weigh kept clean. The tension gear should 
several yards, a yard at a time and be just right to take care of sliver 
if thin places appear, see that the when delivered. When leather rolls 
eveners are working. Try several are used they should be varnished 
times. Look after the air, and see at least once every ten davs. The 
that the draft is right. The air trumpets should be carefully select- 
draft should not be broken. Run ed for the number grains of sliver 
evener belt, when steady, so that it running and never run a worn 
will stand in c'enter of the cone, trumpet with the hole worn out of 
That will give the evener opportun- shape. If leather rolls are used see 
ity to work either up or down, that they are the same size. Don't 
Cards. let can run full enough to ride on 
If laps are delivered to cards coiler top. See that your draft is 
right and you find sliver from one right for the staple that is being 
card weight light and the next one run. For if you carry it through 
heavy, and so on through the line, two processes of drawing with care- 
have the cards stripped and then less handling of cans, at coilers, and 
time each one and weigh the strips had rollers, one will be drawn tight 
and see if the cards are making the enough to break back every few 
same amount of strips in the same minutes. Weigh it and you will find 
time. If not set the stripper plates variation there, 
so they will. If you have uneven 

sliver, then look at the fly and see *'>' *rames. 
if each card is throwing out the At slubbers have cans so they 
same amount of fly. If not set the will deliver to feed roll on slubber 
screens so tJiey will. This all takes without any strain on sliver and 
time and can not be done in one see that each roller is of the same 
day. Sometimes you will find the size in the back and the middle 
delivery feed slightly varying in rolls the same diameter. The front 
speed. When same make of card is rollers, some times after being re- 
in use the feed gears should all be covered, and maybe new flannels 
the same. The can on front plays pnt on and will affect the size of 
very important part. Never allow rollers, when one larger than the 
it to run so full that it will drag other, or smaller, as the case may 

51 



be, weigh llie roving and see the dif- strain off of the roving. It is very 

ference. The tension on slubber delicate and the least strain will 

plays a very important part and will affects the weight and strength. Have 

affect the weight of roving. Never all bobbins the same size and don't 

let the operator change the tension use a bobbin that is worn and 

on slubber. A slight change in ten- loose on spindle or broken the least, 

sion at the wrong time makes a for when it is put on the frame and 

great deal of difference in the the speed on it will expand in first 

weight. Keep the cones in perfect few rounds to affect the roving for 

working order and the twist in several yards of yarn, 

slubber should only be enough to «ninniim Fr-imp 

unwind it in creel of intermediate ^ ., spinning rrame. 

frame. Keep the carriage rail clean ,, ^ee that he creels are clean and 

and the spindles well oiled, the [he creel stands m perfect condit- 

frame lined and leveled. 1?^, that creel sticks have pouits on 

The intermediate frame carriage ^^'^'^^ ^^^^ ^hat creels are leve both 

should be kept clean, the spindles below and above, so each stick wi 1 

oiled and the cone belt in perfect ^^ve the same friction and all work 

condition, no chokes in traverse and ^^^ely. See that all the trumpets 

the flyers all well balanced. Allow are set and tight, that roving traverse 

no lost motion in it. Pressers ^ear is clean and working freely, 

should be watched and see that spindle steps clean and the bases 

there is not a worn one here and well oiled. Use no worn pointed 

there to make uneven work. Too spindles or any bobbins that don't 

much stress cannot be laid on fit on the spindle correctly. Have 

watching the rollers also, or the a system of oiling and see that it 

amount of the tension. Keep all the ^^ carried out. Watch for dry 

thin and uneven places out of the f ^ells or rollers as either will effect 

varn bv watching these little things, ''he yan. Watch for worn saddles; 

mi V t i-i allow no waste to accumulate on 

The fme fames are on he same spindles, see that each stand is 

principle of the intermediate frames ^^^^^ ^^^^ f.^^ ^^^.^^. ^,1^^^ ^ H^^ 

?.nnl/nn i - Zv nffpn tn linp '« ^^U OU middle roU that is WOm 

would not say how often to line ^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^ j^ 

^?ttle"l/e"ran'^^otl^^r"s^ T^^^ ^.«^j- ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ - -1/,- 

should be examined often and if ?^ ^^^^ ^^^^f, diameter. Have the 

necessarv line them. A system of ^-averse builder gear so that it will 

oiling is ^absolutelv necessay, as dry ^^y "^e yarn side by side and not 

rolls or shells will make uneven Pile it one on another. Keep trav- 

work. eler cleaner on every ring if pos- 

Here I will say that any machine ^^^le. Never use a ring that is worn 

in perfect condition will produce ^" scollops. 

perfect work, and to keep it in per- This is written without giving 

feet condition it must be kept oiled draffs, but would have made the 

and cleaned. Keep the spindles article too long, and each length of 

free from foreign matter, stands staple must have its own draft, and 

well oiled, skewers well pointed and card setting to suit the grade cot- 

the stands in place. Keep all the ton in use. 

Number Twentv-Five. 



By J. M. .TOLLY. College Park, Ga. 



To my mind one of the most pro- ten different grades of cotton in the 
lific causes of uneven yarn is that w^arehouse, as most mills have, the 
the overseers depend too much on superintendent or overseer of card- 
the finisher picker. We sometimes ing should have the opportunity of 
get the idea that just so we have a going to the warehouse and select- 
good finisher hand and weigh his ing his cotton, a reasonable amount 
laps occasionally the work will be of bales of each different grade, so 
all right. Carelessness, we will say, as to get the same grade for each 
is the biggest cause, but an- days run. 

other great evil is the way cotton is Let us suppose we have our cotton 

graded from the warehouse to the in mixing room properly graded, 

opener room. If we have eight or Now the cotton must be mixed in 

52 



equal amounts from each bale, oth- 
erwise the trouble of grading is all 
in vain, and careless mixing is the 
same as bad grading. The beater 
blades must be kept in good 
shape and not allowed to run with 
a knife edge. We should have a 
perfectly smooth edge on beater 
blades and have the edge a little 
rounded The knife edge will cut 
the fibre and cause a lot of uneven 
work throughout the mill. This 
breaker lap must be as light as pos- 
sible, for the thinner the sheet, the 
cleaner the cottrin. and the cleaner 




J. M. Jolly 

College Park, Ga. 

the cotton, the more even yarn. In- 
termediate laps should be weighed 
twice a day at least. On the finisher 
picker we must at all times keep 
good spike beaters if we expect even 
work, and must not allow part of the 
cotton to reach the card improperly 
cleaned. 

The object of the pickers is to 
clean and lap the cotton. The work 
of the grid bars and dampers must 
be looked after closely if we expect 
to clean the cotton, and if we ex- 
pect even work, we must clean the 
cotton. If we clean the cotton in the 
picker room this week, and half 
clean it next week, we need not ex- 
pect even yarn. We must keep 
everlastingly at it. 

Well, we are up to the card with 
a good even finished lap. here we 
must have all cards properly set. 



Have grinders carry with them a 
good whisk broom and thoroughly 
brush every screen after grinding 
the card, so that all foreign sub- 
stance will fall away from the card, 
instead of going to the stock. This 
will help make clean work, and to 
my mind, the cleaner the more 
even. 

We all know that draft gears slip- 
ping will cause uneven work. We 
all should know that if the wooden 
lap roll on the back of the card 
skips teeth, the feed roll will pull 
thin places in the lap and make un- 
even work. I examine the draft gears 
on my cards at least once a week 
and if the draft gear, feed roll gear 
or lap roll is slip])ing I will find it. 
If the numbers come up wrong, 
which fliey sometimes do I will find 
it. These are some of the little things 
that make the big ones. We must 
watch close after the doffer comb 
blades and make sure that a part 
of the web does not get on the floor, 
for we need it all in the can if we 
expect even work. Make sure that 
the calender roll on tlie card is 
properly speeded. Do not have mix- 
ed gears scattered throughout the 
room at this particular place and 
have certain cards pulling the web 
away from the doffer too fast. If 
you do it will make uneven work, 
'ieach the card hands to notify card 
grinders the first lime they have a 
card to make a singling on account 
of a bad doffer blade. The card 
ought not to go to the card grinder 
the second time, but report it to the 
overseer. Flat stripper blades must 
have the same care. Card stripping 
running back through the work on 
account of bad blades or from any 
other cause will make uneven yarn. 

We are now up to the drawing 
with even work. Set the spoons on 
back of drawing so they will knock 
off even for singling coming from 
the cards. Inspect cards daily to 
take out all singling. Arrange cans 
back of draw frames so that draw- 
ing hands can walk close to the 
frame to put in ends, for if we al- 
low them to stand back the depth 
of 4 cans and throw sliver up on 
other sliver, and start the frame 
with the other hand it will be im- 
possible to get work through the 
drawing even. Keep weights ad- 
.iusted so that the rolls will have 
the ^proper amount of weight, for 
the least bit of variation from too 
much weight or lack of proper oil- 
ing, will cause much variation in 



drawing, which will make yards 
more later. If you do not think the 
drawing question is mighty impor- 
tant, and lots of uneven work is 
caused there, experiment a little and 
have the second hands and fixers 
spend an hour or so adjusting the 
weights. Get every end in drawing 
sections running in ribbon form. 

Drawing frame rolls should be 
cleaned at least every 10 days, or 
better every 6 days. If you expect 
even work keep chokes off drawing 
frame rolls and oil them well. I 
weigh drawing twice a day, once be- 
fore noon anu once after. If I find 
more than 2 grains variation per 
yard, I look for the cause. At best 
our roving and yarn has some varia- 
tion but I bear in mind to watck . 
the drawing if I expect even work. 

In cleaning drawing rolls, we use 
the cheapest labor we have, usually 
in charge of a card grinder or sec- 
tion man, and the saddles are all 
mixed up and when the cleaning is 
over, the numbers on drawing are 
worse than they were before clean- 
ing. 

The slubbers, intermediates and 
speeders all work practically alike 
except creeling, my, my, the uneven 
work speeder hands will make creel- 
ing, if you do not watch them. 
Watch creeling closely the tentions 
on all fly frames have a lot to do 
with even or uneven work. 

The lack of oil on back or middle 
rolls will make uneven work. Take 
shells off of arbors at least every 
2 weeks and wipe arbors clean with 
card strips, and put on plenty of 
fresh oil. Have this done on Satur- 
day at closing time and do not al- 
low some of the frame hands to say, 
"I did that yesterday". If it is all 
done at a specified time, it will help 
make even yarn. The use of worn 
shells will cause uneven work. One 
newly covered and one old shell on 
same arbor will cause unevenness. 
Keep shell rolls locked up and keep 
a pair of calipers in cupboard. Let 
second hand caliper and pair all 
shells as they are given to the frame 
hands. This will help make even 
work. Don't put a new shell on 
arbor without first putting on fresh 
oil. Hard driven spindles from lack 
of oil cause lots of uneven work, as 
will one wrap too much or one wrap 
too little on presser. Uneven work 
is also caused from a lack of knowl- 
edge as to what temperature is need- 
ed. I prefer to have humidity reg- 
ulated separately so as to have it 

54 



even in card room without speeders. 
Humidity and temperature have 
quite a lot to do with uneven work. 

Double lapping cards where laps 
are running out is as bad a thing as 
I know of. Do not allow card hands 
in laying laps, to lap them 3 or 4 
inches as they put them under feed 
rolls. Inches bad in the card room 
make yards further on. 

Before we leave the card room 
let's drop back to the grading and 
mixing in warehouse. We have 
cotton graded froni 3s to 9s. We 
consume about 24 bales daily, more 
or less. We run today on 3s and 
the next day on 9s, the following 
day on 5s and so on. We cannot 
produce even yarn out of this. Why 
not take so many bales of each grade 
for each days run and have a proper 
mixing and better numbers? This 
is why I say poor mixing is causing 
a lot of variation. 

Now, we go to the spinning room. 
A lot of spinners say that if they 
get good work, they make good 
work, but if they get bad work, they 
cannot make it good. I am aware of 
the fact that the card room is the 
place to start it even. There are 
causes for uneven work in spinning 
as well as in carding. Here are 
some of the things that will make 
big ones. Cotton wound around 
flutes of steel rolls will cause varia- 
tion in yarn. One large shell and 
one small one running on same ar- 
bor will make uneven work. These 
shells should be calipered as they 
are given to spinners to put on sides. 
Teach spinners the importance of 
oiling before running new rolls. 
Overseers will say that the rolls 
come from the shop ready paired 
and marked. Probably they do, but 
do they reach the sides that way? 
Keep shells locked and have second 
hand caliper every pair that goes 
out. Keep shell arbors oiled 
throughout the spinning room, for if 
they run dry it will cause uneven 
work. Watch closely after the trav- 
elers. If you are running more than 
one number of yarn, do not let trav- 
elers get mixed on the frame. Un- 
usually heaN'y travelers scattered 
around here and there through the 
spinning room will pull the life out 
of the yarn and make it weigh 
wrong. Bad roving skewers in 
speeders or spinning frames will 
cause the same trouble. Make 
sure that cap bars are all spaced 
alike. One end of the roll a six- 
teenth of an inch out of line will 



make a lot of uneven yarn. Keep 
spinning rolls well cleaned and back 
saddles well ' oiled. Have lever 
screws adjusted so that all levers 
will be about 1 1-2 inches from creel 
board at back end of lever. Watch 
close after the roving traverse and 
keep it working freely at all times. 
Teach spinners to watch out for 
chokes in roving guides, for they 
will weaken the roving and cause 
uneven yarns. 

Overseers should lake a sizing 
from each different yarn and roving 
twice each day. Make sure that the 
reels and scales are in the proper 



shape. Do not try to weigh roving 
or yarn in a current of air. Be 
careful about this little job, it is im- 
portant. Do not be too quick to 
change. Be sure you are right be- 
fore having changing done. Get 
right and then have it done. Other- 
wise, you will have variation. Do 
all the changing, if possible, in the 
card room to keep numbers. Do not 
change draft unless you are com- 
pelled to do so. Give spinning a 9- 
inch draft, if possible. The shorter 
the draft, the better the breaking 
strength and the evenness of the 
yarn. 



• iNunibep Twenty-Six. 



By T. L. SAUNDERS, JR., Morganton, N. C. 



I will try and write an article on 
"Cause and Prevention of Uneven 
Yarn." First we will start in the 
warehouse and select the different 
grades of cotton, good middling, 
strict middling, middling and tinges, 
that is, if we use all of the above 
grades. However, take your mixing 




T. L. Saunders, Jr. 

Morganton, X. C. 

in and lay the bales side by side. 
Get the opener man to use a large 
box on wheels. Take cotton off each 
bale, if you can use fifty bales, so 
much the better. So you see you 
wil have all the bales, no matter 

55 



what numbers may be going through 
the mill at the same time. I find 
this a much better mixing than the 
old way. The man who feeds the 
hopper can run along beside each 
bale and get the same amount from 
each one. There can be 2 or more 
boxes used, according to the space. 
Keep the bale breaker or hopper 
two-thirds or more full, and be sure 
that this is strictly carried out and 
you will get good results. Keep the 
inside of the machine clean and free 
from friction. Keep screens clean 
and draft ways clear. See that the 
draft is distributing equally and use 
the lap split preventer. Be sure to 
oil every part well. Do not let the 
laps run out together, and keep 
them from splitting. Run the even- 
er belt two-thirds above center and 
in case one lap should run out, or a 
lap split, the evener will take charee 
of it. 

It is a good idea fo weigh breaker 
laps several times a day, as well as 
the intermediate laps, to keep them 
even. Be sure to weigh the finisher 
laps, every one. Have the finisher 
man to set them down and keep *a 
record. It will be a caution to the 
operator. Do not let the finisher 
laps vary over one-quarter pound 
each way. If they vary more, run 
them over. If the above is properly 
carried out, the cards will receive 
good work. 

Cards should be closely watched 
by all from the overseer down. If 
card hands are allowed to be negli- 
gent and the card chokes up and 
jams the doffer. the result is that 
the mashed places can never be as 
smooth as before, so the web wili 
be uneven. Set the feed plates to a 



number 12 gauge; mote knives 7 to on the casing, just over the sliver 
12; screen to cylinder front to 4 leaf spoons to hold them as close as pos- 
gauge, and back to cylinder 22 sible to the knock-off motion, so 
gauge; back plate lower edge 17, up- when the ends run out they will 
per edge 12; front stripper plate, stop quickly. I am usmg this and it 
upper edge 17, lower edge 12 gauge, eliminates 50 per cent of the ends 
Of course you must use your good from running in too close, or all the 
judgment to meet all good and bad way. Be sure and have drawing 
conditions, and vary the above tender put the ends as close to each 
where necessary. The cards must other as possible and see that they 
be ground sharp and kept that way. piece up a nice smooth splice. The 
If the above is carried out, you will cans must not run too full. If the 
have an even sliver to the first cleaning and oiling and all of the 
drawing. The card draft should be adjustments are looked after there 
90 to 100. I prefer 100. I do not will be good even sliver to run to 
recommend over 15 turns per minute the slubbers. 

IZ hi tt. "^twp iip'mnrp'virn.^ I recomm'end a draft of 3.85 on 

aused ?o varv from exceTshe spe?d blubbers. With this, and standard 

+ho^ or,;?thfrri: ;Lo nn nnt i^t fhP twist ,proper lay and tension, rolls 

^.n?,= ?.?? ?nn^fn 1 Tf tnn fni thW s^t to suit the Staple, an even slub- 

win fniU and stretch the sHver ber roving will be produced. The 

and of bourse it vfl be une^^^^^^ filing and cleaning must be done if 

^^or^ kn^IvH Joi?n loH hnf nvmH til© laps are kept the correct weight, 

^xce^ssive oi[.' Be" surf no^'to" g^t I do a^l my changing, that is heavy 

oil on the clothing for it will injure up or lighten up on slubber*, 

the fillet and make it soft. The re- changing the crown- gear will only 

suit will be bad and uneven carding. "}ake a slight difference Otherwise, 

J ^ fi f c ^^ v.r.ty. if you change laps or drawing or 

.r.L'pTc°oT'];?''HrLln/ not nvpr ?ie sP^eder, as there are doublings, it 

Swf ' ThP Hr.rncfVrpmp^f ne^ m^kes too great a difference, so it 

?pMpH hi <fnmp n^pn hnt all nf n^ ^^ill o^erdo it one way or the other, 

^^hl^'ir.p^.i nn m.r 'mh^ Vnnw th^f The slubber has uo doubling, so you 

?^'e°/raU^gTra°m^I Cst^Kave'the -e the change will -t be so great 

came attention that everv process See that slubbers and speeders haxe 



:;ame attention that every process ,, „ „ „^ *i,„ 

should have. Set the first and sec- aH presser fingers %yrapped the 
ond rolls as close as vou can on 7-8 same, for otherwise there will be 
to 1 inch staple, second and third, bad and uneven roving. See tha 
3-16 third and fourth rolls, 5-16. the operatives do not use cot^^^^^^^ 
3-16 and 5-16 over staple length, under the top clearers to hold fr c- 
This applies to metallic rolls. The J^^ «" ^he roving tiiat smaUer 
leather rolls should exceed this ^han ^h^ other, but take the bobbin 
slight.lv. The metallic rolls must be off if they do not. \eryo ten they 
looked after verv closely. Keep ^^'^ll lea^'e the cotton under the clear- 
them clean, using a stiff brush, or a ers and make st^retched [oving It 
worn-out whisk broom cut off even- is important to keep a close wa.ch 
Iv. All of the weights must be over the temperature and as the 
closely set to be kept on, otherwise weather affects the roving keep 
the silver will be light and heavy, close after this. A good overseer 
I -have seen the overseers run the who takes an interest in all of the 
sliver slack from the front roll to above will be sur*^ to have good 
the calender roll and not know how even roving for the spinner. In re- 
to remedy it. the sliver sagging and s:ard to twist, in the roving. I have 
running in lumpv. When this is the recommended standard on slubbers 
case, tighten the sliver by changing for 7-8 to 1 inch cotton The twist 
the compensating gear. You can on intermediates and speeders 
tell when it is too tight by holding should be 1 or 2 teeth above stand- 
a pencil under the sliver. I much ard and on roving frames^ 2 or 3 
prefer tight ends to slack ends, teeth above standard on 12s to 20s 
When thev are nice and smooth, the yarn, and on 20s to 30s, 3 to 5 teeth. 
work is much more even, so the So the twist is very important and 
cleaning and oiling must be well the roving must have plenty of twist 
done. for short cotton. There has been. 

The stop-motions must be closely and is now, many a mill that lost 
watched. I recommend a small thousands of dollars by this one 
strip of wood 1-2 inch thick, bolted thing. There are many more things 

56 



which could be mentioned, but lack 
of space prevents. 

So if the spinning receives the 
roving in good condition, it is a very 
easy matter to produce good, even 
yarn. The spinning must be kept 
clean, rolls clean and well oiled and 
set so they will not rub. Steel rolls 
should be well cleaned. The top 
rolls must be as near the same size 
on each cot as possible. The over- 
seer should see that the rolls are 
put in the right way, and teach the 
help to do so. The stirrups must be 
adjusted, the levers all set even, the 
bands ?11 uniform and tied in with 
as near the same tension as pos- 
sible. The bolsters must be oiled 
well with good light oil, and spin- 
dles plumb, rings set true, and guide 
wires set true and every thing nice 



and properly adjusted. The roving 
must be kept clean, skewers kept 
sharp so as to pull freely. The 
skewers sets must all be in place. 
The spinners must be taught to 
piece up the ends smoothly and to 
avoid fanning off machinery all 
through the mill. If all of the above 
Uiings are done, you will have nice 
smooth even yarn,, providing you 
nave the proper draft. I recom- 
men, on single roving, a draft of 7, 
not exceeding 8. and on double rov- 
ing a draft of 10, not exceeding 12. 
In regard to speed, do not have ex- 
cessive speed, as high speed is det- 
rimental and will cause bad uneven 
work. I fear I have overstepped 
the limit, but hope my ideas will 
help some one. 



Number Twenty-Seven. 



By John CURWEN, Macon, Ga. 



round thread, is laid in the mixing 
room. Presuming that there will be 
two separate mixings — warp and 
filling, it will be necessary to make 
each mixing from tne various "Lots" 
of cotton, with due regard to the 
quality and length of staple so as 
to get the mixing as uniform as 
possible. In every mixing when the 
old "lots" are running out and new 
ones being substituted, the greatest 
care should be exercised in the se- 
lection of. the new stock. When 
waste is added to the mixing, it will 
be very necessary to see that it is 
evenly distributed for an excessive 
amount of waste in one place is lia- 
ble to cause annoyance in working 
and produce bad results. By follow- 
ing out this idea, where possible, 
the erratic wandering of numbers, 
sometimes so troublesome, is mod- 
ified and occasionally removed. 

Having satisfactorily arranged the 
mixing, let us pass on to the pick- 
ers. Much has been said and written 
about the importance of the pick- 
ers, yet I question whether it is yet 
fully understood how very serious 
a factor in the production of good 
r , ,. .,^ ... „ work the picker room is when in- 

In dealmg with variations of yarns, telligentlv and conscientiously run. 
one comes across so many things The breaker laps should be weighed 
that tend to produce said variations, by the yard twice each day. The 
that it becomes rather a difficult spiked apron should never be al- 
proposition, what to introduce and lowed to slip, the hopper should be 
what to omit as actual or predis- fed evenly: should never get too 
posing causes of irregularity. The low nor yet too full. Irregular laps 
foundation for an even, smooth and result from crowding the hopper 

57 




John Curweii 

Macon. Ga. 



and allowing it to run with too lit- caught by the roll, when the spoon 

tie cotton in it. The calendar rolls, resumes its position and the frame 

pedals and feed rolls of finisher lap- runs on. A lump, and perhaps some 

per should be kept well cleaned and yards of single have resulted from 

oiled, with entire freedom of ac- the piecing of that end. Just imag- 

tion of its working parts. When ine what havoc can be done to the 

placing full laps upon the apron of material by only one such careless 

finisher or intermediate lapper, or indifferent attendant. All ends 

avoid replacing more than two at should be pieced up to the rolls in 

a time, much better one at a time a neat manner by the fingers and 

and let them be graduated from a thumb. The rolls should be kept 

small piece to a full lap, this pre- free from laps, clean and well oiled, 

vents overweighing of apron lessen- Make a periodical examination of 

ing the possibility of its slipping weight hooks and weights to see that 

and making thin places in lap. It they are in proper position. In draw 

also does away with the liability frames with top leather rolls, no bad 

of laps ickmg as is the case w-hen i-qHs should be allowed to run. A 

four full laps are crowded together leather roll that is channeled, hol- 

at one creeling. The fan flues should jqw or a loose cot will draw the 

be kept clean and the dampers set giiver irregularly and show up in 

m such a manner that the fan will uneven yarn 

carry the cotton from the breaker Speeders under certain conditions 

to screens m an even sheet Inter- are productive of uneven yarn. Oil- 

mitent dwelling between beater and j^g and cleaning of rolls on speeder 

screens produces thick and thin jg of the utmost importance when 

places m lap. Cone beiU sl'ou.d be ^est results are aimed at. The ob- 

kept free from grease, lint and ciirt servations above as regards the 

and at the proper terH-o- Occas- je^ther rolls on the draw frame ap- 

lonal weighing of fm^^hed laps by j equally to all leather top rolls 

the yard and full lap ought to be \^ cardins: and sninnin^ Whilst 

attended to daily, by overseer or ^s nec° sarv to keeS aff ton ^ 

second hand. This latter proceed- cleaned and oiled Darticular atten- 

ing helps to keep the man in charge tiorSust be olid ^o the front too 

of picker room in line with his i^°V To ot.S .o^Li^ILiL w^\:rn 

work A frnstwnrthv man in the ^°^^' ^^ ^^^ carelessness here will 

Sicker room is an urient necess tv ^"^^^^ ^P "^°^^ prominently and de- 

^^T, IT ?,!!-]' trimentally in the finished yarn. 

The draft gears on all the cards Anv retardation of front roll owing 
should be overhauled once m a (^ ^n accumulation of lint or lack of 
while to see that the right gears are qji ^.ju produce varn coarser than 
in use All cards working similar ^^^ machine is calculated to make 
stock should have the same settings, ^nd a few of these on each machine 
In other words all cards working ^.jn certainlv bring trouble. The 
the same kind of cotton ought to ^ ^olls should be inspected to see 
make approximately the same ^i^^t thev are set straight and paral- 
amount of waste in strips and fly. jg, ^^ g^ch other, as they sometimes 
Doffer combs ought to be kept clean get out of line and bind, which in- 
and free from oil at the ends, other- terferes with the proper drawing of 
wise lint will gather there and in- the sliver. All speeders working 
terfere with the passage of the web same hank from one kind of stock, 
to the delivery rolls, and single will ought to have gears exactlv alike, 
be made which is not always seen p^ch as draft, twist, lay and tension 
at the draw frame. Of course, cards gears. If upon a careful overhaul- 
must be kept in good working con- ing of same, such is found not to be 
dition. the case, then the reason for such 

The draw frame is under certain a condition ought to be immediately 
conditions a prolific source of un- ascertained and the correct adjust- 
even yarn. If the sliver spoons are ment made. The winding arrange- 
not kept clean and well balanced, nient of speeders is a very import- 
uneven work will result. Indeed, ant point and should be looked after 
this is the weakest spot in a draw in an efficient manner. The ends 
frame. A careless attendant will after doffing, should take up with- 
spoil w^ork on this machine, making out anv stretching or sagging and 
single, double and lumpy yarn. He should continue to so wind through- 
!oT she) will throw an end over and out the whole set. If there is any 
start up the machine, hold the belt difficulty, outside of the tension 
on the tight pulley until the end is gear, in obtaining this result, name- 

68 



ly, uniform winding throughout the cerning top rolls, creels and creel- 
set, examine the cone drums, see if ing, applies also to the spinning 
they are parallel to each other and room and need not be repeated, 
quite plumb at the ends. On many All roll weights and saddles must 
occasions I have found the cones be well looked after in order to see 
out of position. Sometimes the cor- that they are in proper position and 
rect lay gear is not being used, the weights are really resting on the 
Never allow speeder hands to run rolls. The guide rods of creels 
the frame or speeder after it has should not be too high as this pro- 
knocked off from doffing. On some dues too keen an angle and is liable 
makes of frames, before the speeder to stretch the roving or even oc- 
hand can run his machine after casionally to break it. The roving 
knocking off, he must wind up the guides must be kept clean and no 
rack a few teeth, and the roving dwelling of guide at the end when 
afterwards put on the bobbin is heart motion changes. Accumula- 
stretched out of all reason and many tion of roving on creels, when some 
times a lot of tangled bobbins are of it is left there for indefinite per- 
made. Do not make the bobbins too iods, is a bad practice because the 
large for the flyer. The flyer ought first few layers on the old bobbins 
to be well balanced taking care that are frequently soft and oozy and 
the pressers work freely and to full lighter than the balance of the rov- 
distance when bobbin is full. The ing, in fact all roving should be 
ends should be wrapped the same used up before laying up fresh bob- 
number of times around each pres- bins. Worn rings and travelers are 
ser finger. All empty bobbins inimical to good work. Cleaning, 
should be of same diameter. It oiling and carefulness in the perfor- 
sometimes happens that a speeder mance of duties are also of supreme 
hand in creeling will leave a long importance in the spinning room. I 
end when creeling a new bobbin have, I believe, reached the limits 
and continue so doing all the time prescribed by the rules of this con- 
he is creeling. This is a very rep- test, and whilst I am aware that I 
rehensible practice and very inimi- have not, by any means, said the 
cal to good work. Blunt creel pegs last word on this very interesting 
should be dispensed with and creels and important subject, yet I have 
lined up to remove sagging of creel tried to confine myself to those 
rails. matters that really do count, in the 

What has been said above con- making of even yarn. 



Number Twenty-Eight. 



By J. R. MANLY, Williamston, S. G. 

Please allow me space in your day's run ahead, that is, open the 

valuable paper to say a few words cotton today that is to be used to- 

for your December contest, on morrow. This will give it a chance 

cause and prevention of uneven to dry out in case it is too damp 

yarn. when first opened. All reworked 

Even numbers can only be kept waste should never be mixed in the 

correctly by starting the cotton right regular mixing, because the pms 

in the opening room. It is very on the incline aprons separate the 

important that the cotton is care- waste from the cotton, allowing it 

fully graded and mixed, by opening to pass from one machine to an- 

10 to 12 bales, taking a layer from other in streaks, causing weak and 

each bale and blending it together, uneven yarn. 

All cotton, because it is pretty and Take your waste with an equal 
white, is not good cotton, we have portion of cotton (enough to keep 
premature, mildewed, gin-cut and the laps from falling apart) and 
frost-bitten cotton and numbers of run it through the opener and 
other bad things, therefore it is breaker. Then use one waste lap 
very important to grade and blend to three cotton laps on your inter- 
it to get even numbers and have a mediate apron. This is the only 
close average. We must not use dry way to mix waste for perfect re- 
cotton today and wet cotton tomor- suits. 

row. It is very important to have Keep the automatic feeder as 

room enough to keep at least one near the same fullness as possible, 

59 



say three-fourths full, so your cones are oily or tight in the bear- 
breaker laps will be even in weight ings. Every time your evener belt 
per yard. Unproportioned speed of or apron slips it will cause light 
pickers a great many times is the streaks in the laps, which will 
cause ol uneven work. Low speed cause light streaks in sliver. I 
of fan and insufficient suction to would recommend that all aprons 
hold cotton on screen will give you on pickers be pulled with sprocket 
a lap full of thick and thin places chains, which insures no slipping 
with different weights per yard; and prolongs the use of aprons, 
which will make variation in num- xhe card has a long draft and one 
bers throughout the mill. A high inch of uneven lap makes about 100 
speed beater will create a draft; if inches of uneven sliver. Thin places 
your beater draft is stronger than jn your laps are jerked in by the 
your fan draft it will blow the cot- Hcker-in and placed on the cvlin- 
ton off the screen, causing lumps, der in lump shape, causing uneven 
This can be remedied to a certain ^ork. Doffer combs too high and 

cans run too full will cause stretch- 
ed sliver, laps split and run into 
the cord double will cause uneven 
work. Have card tender to fix lap 
nnd remove doublings. A careless 
card tender can damage the sliver 
by letting heavy and light work go 
by him, this is done during the 
time the cards are starting up after 
stripping, as he pieces up the end 
befoi^e the card has time to fill up. 
The result is that a large portion of 
the sliver is too light. 

A lot of light and heavy work is 
made at the drawing frame on ac- 
count of a careless drawing tender 
lapping his piecings too long, or by 
running the frame with one or 
more ends out at the back. This 
should not he tolerated and if he is 
trained and watched he will get his 
piecings very near perfect. Stop- 
motions too slow to respond, letting 
singlings through the rolls and 
ends running out at back will cause 
uneven numbers. I lind it is a good 
rule to look over your drawing 
stop-motions and examine your 
ends 3 or 4 times per day, as one 
can of too light or heavy drawing 
sliver will make several bobbins of 
uneven yarn. Drv rolls clogged 
extent, provided the eveners are ^jth cotton, rolls badly worn or not 
kept in first-class working shape, properly weighted, too much weight 
If they are not they cant respond on one 'end and not enough on the 
to a delicate change in the weight other will make sliver variation, 
of the incoming feed. The result ^^^ trumpets should have the 
IS that you have variable sliver ^^^^^^ bore for standard weight of 
All evener cones should be lag- g^^^^^, ^nd the proper draft between 
ged 9r corked, which insures no ^^^p f^o^t steel roll and calender 
slipping of evener belts No matter j^qh -pj^g trumpet bore should be 
what weight per yard the laps are ^^^^^ enough to condense the sliver 
to be. the evener belt should be ^^ j^^ke it smooth and strong 
made to run in the center of the cone enough to pull itself. The draft 
which gives an equal adjustment between the front steel roll and 
for either heaw or light feed and calender should be just enough to 
it keeps down variation from slip- make the end sag the least bit. If 
page. If your cone is not lagged the bore of the trumpet is too 
or corked it will occasionally slip large, or the draft too great at the 
on the small end, especially if the calender roll, you will get stretched 

60 




J. R. Manly 

Williamston, S. C. 



and uneven sliver. I find that 
keeping the numbers at the draw- 
ing frame is the best place. If the 
drawing sliver is weighed 4 times 
per day light or heavy streaks can 
be detected and remedied before it 
gets mixed all through the roving 
and spinning frame, where no gear 
can get it right. If light work gets 
mixed with heavy work in frames 
and you make a change that will 
effect the light work it will make 
the heavy work too heavy. While 
your average number may come 
right you will have a great varia- 
tion. 

Good rolls are absolutely neces- 
sary on fly frames if we get an 
even roving. They should be oiled 
and cleaned regularly or they will 
run sluggish and make stretched 
and uneven roving. 

Special attention should be paid 
to the tension at all times. This is 
another place where a lot of bad 
work is made that causes variation 
in roving and yarn. The overseer 
should see that the tension gears 
are locked up and in charge of the 
section man allowing no one else to 
change them, holding him respon- 
sible. If this is not done some time 
the wrong gear is put on, making 
the ends run too tight or too slack, 
depending on whether the gear is 
too large or small. The result will 
he stretched roving when it is too 
tight, and when it is too slack the 
frame tender will wind up the ten- 
sion a tooth, not only taking up the 



slack but for a time making the 
ends run too tight, making stretch- 
ed and irregular work in after pro- 
cess. If it is necessary to change a 
gear on a certain hank or grade of 
work the whole of the frames on 
this class of work should be chang- 
ed. In changing gears, no gears 
should be changed without the con- 
sent of the overseer. All changes 
after being made should be reported 
to him. 

I find it is best to run the ends 
with the least bit of sag, by run- 
ning them this way and keeping a 
good supply of different size ten- 
sion gears you will cut out stretch- 
ed and uneven roving caused by the 
wrong tension. Worn and blunt 
skewers will stretch roving and 
cause uneven yarn. 

Good roving can be damaged at 
the spinning frame causing uneven- 
ness and variation. Worn and 
blunt skewers, bad rolls, dry rolls, 
rolls not cleaned regularly, slack 
bands, bad travelers, too heavy a 
traveler will cause weak and un- 
even yarn. Too much draft, rol- 
lers spread too wide apart, that is, 
the distance from bite to bite, the 
distance from where the steel and 
leather middle rollers release the 
fibre to where it comes in contct 
with the steel and leather front 
rolls, will cause thick and thin 
places in yarn. If the above sug- 
gestions are carried out there 
should be little trouble with un- 
even yarn. 



Number Twenty-Nine. 



By J. H. MAYES, JR., Fitzgerald, Ga. 



To eliminate uneven yarn is the to feed the openers will go a long 
goal to which all successful manu- way towards good results as care- 
facturers aim. The foundation of lessness in handling buckles allow- 
good yarn is the opening room and ing stain cotton around ties to get 
a great many of the causes of un- into the cotton, small pieces of jute 
even yarn can be traced to careless bagging to get into the hoppers all 
mixing ahead of even grade and tend to injure the machinery which, 
today enough cotton together with of course causes uneven laps, 
the day's waste to run the openers To make an even lap care should 
tomorrow, which will allow a day's be taken to keep tappers properly 
miving ahead of even grade and oiled and cleaned, especially on the 
staple and discourage operators inside, excessive beater speeds ef- 
feeding off bales without mixing feet the air currents and permits 
them together and filling openers uneven layers of cotton on the 
full of chunks. Machinery builders screens, excessive fan speeds draw 
recognize the importance of these impurities that should pass through 
defects and have made wonderful the beater grids over to the screens, 
improvements by inventing bale To get good results from the even- 
breakers and automaticly feeding ers, draft machines so that the 
openers. Selecting a careful man evener belt runs in the middle of 

61 



the cones which will enable the card whenever doffers are getting 
evener belts to traverse freely both specky and discourage carding more 
ways when necessary, always stop than 175 pounds per card per day, 
machines to clean trunks, grid and Cleanliness on cards is very import- 
mote boxes, because cleaned im- ant to keep Hying out of sliver, 
purities while machines are running Drawing, because a simple pro- 
effect air currents and naturally cess, is often neglected, but re- 
cause uneven laps. Some carders quires close attention and a careful 
have certain times to do this clean- operator. The top rolls should be 
ing, the best way is to remove kept running with the lap, free from 
these impurities when deposit ridges, kept well varnished, evenly 
chambers are two-thirds full to weighted, hooks hung clear of steel 
eliminate the danger of waste going rolls, trumpets reamed to condense 
into the finished laps. Train picker sliver on all delivery alike, steel 
tentlers to make good piecing and roll scoured every second week, stop 
not to allow laps on aprons to run motions kept in good working or- 
out, thinking eveners will do their der, oil put in oil holes and not al- 
work for them, also keep different lowed to run onto rolls and under 
sizes of laps on aprons to prevent coiler gears. Top clearers kept in 
laps running out together. Each good shape and kept clean, so as to 
picker to do good work should be prevent clearer waste dropping be- 
thoroughly overhauled each month tween rolls and going into the sliver 
to keep screens free from chokes, or breaking the end at trumpet, 
gears and eveners in good working causing piecings. All bad work 
order. All belts should be cement- should be shown to whoever makes 
ed on pickers, especially beater and it, to impress on their minds you 
evener belts, to get even speeds, are watching qualitv. Weighing 
aprons in good repair, neither too each delivery several times dailv 
slack or too tight,. Nothing rums gives a good check on evenness, be- 
evenness of laps more than split laps, j^g made also enable overseer to 
and are caused mostly by poor mix- keep weights correct, 
mgs, lack of cleanliness or wrong Slubber, Intermediate and Speeders. 
setting of draft dampers by looking Condition roving frames are kept 
carefully after these items there in has a great deal to do with even 
isn't much danger of unevenness roving, frames with tight spindle, 
from split laps. A few minutes uneven wraps and pressers, gears 
spent daily in picker room seeing not mashed right, unlevel carriages, 
that these points are carried out careless oiling, bent flyers, worn 
should deliver good laps. spindles, wrong cone and tension 

Cards. gears, changing and taper motions. 

To produce even sliver cards must binding causing poorly built bob- 
be well ground, accurately adjusted, bins, clearers worn and not properly 
stripping plates set to remove same kept up, poor leather rollers un- 
percentage of strips, top flats kept even weighing by saddles not being 
clean and fillet taken care of, care- properly adjusted, skewers m poor 
less oiling of cone boxes allowing condition, negligent cleaning, allow- 
oil to get on edges of doffer and ing hands to put excessive twist 
cylinder fillet causes uneven, rough while putting up ends, allowing 
selvages. The duties of a grinder smglmgs to run, or in creeling al- 
are not onlv to set grinder rolls on lowing three ends to run causing 
cylinders and flats but to thorough- doublings taking up or letting off 
Iv examine every part, see fillet isn't on cone belt make it mighty dis- 
ihjured, gears kept clean. See flys couraging for a spinner sfnying to 
from under cylinder screens are all Produce even yarn and lots of it can 
taken out and not pushed into the be stopped by either fining or dis- 
corners, taking pains to guage all charging whoever makes it, 
settings accurately. Air currents Spinning, 

must be kept out of cards for they Run double roving if possible, with 
play havoc with good carding, as low draft as card room will per- 
Operators must be taught the value mit. Cleanliness is very necessary, 
of good piecing, both at lap and and careful section hands to keep 
coiler boxes and the necessity of rings, guides, creel steps, skewers 
the filing up of cylinder and doffers and travelers changed when worn, 
after stripping before allowing Steel roll should be kept clean, not 
sliver to enter cans. Careless piec- only under leather rolls, but aside of 
ings speak for themselves. Strip stands, top rolls kept well lubricat- 

62 



ed, bolster casing filled with oil, 
bands examined daily while frames 
are being doffed, dolTers should be 
made to doff and piece-up their own 
# ends to make them careful about 
breaking down ends, teach spinners 
to twist up their ends to keep slugs 
out of yarn. To be a good spinner 
dopsn't moan how many sides they 
cover but are they making even 
piecings, twisting up ends and neat- 
ness in general. Weigh scavenger 
roll waste of each spinner daily and 
encourage rivalry as to who make 
the least, for reworked waste causes 
unevenness. Return all singlings 
and doubling back to card room to 
enable the carder to know what is 
going on. 

A good manager of help is neces- 
sary to obtain good results for good 
yarn and efficiency go hand in hand, 
a man operating a machine, seeing 
you are determined to have the 
work for him properly prepared 



will naturally take interest in what 
he is doing and when all appreciate 
good work means loss work, every- 
body gets in line. 

Overhead brushing down should 
be done when mill is stopped and 
frames covered with burlap kept 
for this purpose. Hangers and elec- 
tris lights wiped, not brushed, to 
protect roving from slugs. 

A good humidifying system is a 
necessity for quality. A mill that is 
properly equipped to regulate hu- 
midity that can keep windows shut 
has a tremendous advantage over a 
mill that is not, for nothing you can 
do in a spinning room does more 
harm than wind blowing lint from 
finger-board and overhead into the 
yarn. 

Usually .drafts and speeds are be- 
yond our control, owing to layout 
of plant, but beware of long drafts, 
unevenness and high speeds and 
breakage caused by piecing. 



Number Thirty, 



By W. E. WILLIAMS, Louisville, Ky. 



If I understand the true meaning 
of unevenness when applied to 
yarns, it is that the yarn contains 
thick and thin places, because, if we 
have a yarn of different diameter we 
would say that our yarn was vary- 
ing, or that is, we would, (as we say 
in the mill), not be keeping our 
numbers, therefore, we are not to 
discuss that part of yarn manufac- 
turing in this article. It is also de- 
sirable that we try to bring out 
something new, it is in the writer's 
opinion one of the most (if not the 
most) difficult problem that the 
mill men have to contend with yet, 
if every man would keep his eyes 
open and see what he .sees, and not 
go as if he were blind, some of the 
mills that are going bankrupt more 
and more every day for no other 
cause than the making bad or un- 
even yarn, then, that same mill 
would put on a paying basis. 

In this contest it is also undesir- 
able to write something that the 
other fellow has at some previous 
time, therefore, it looks almost use- 
less to the writer to make an ef- 
fort, however. I will write just what 
I have in mind and place about 
seventy-five per cent of all the un- 
even yarn that is made at any mill 
right up to four causes, via., bad or 
irregular cotton, bad settings of 



gears, tention on fly frames, and bad 
rolls. The importance of having 
cotton all the same grade at all 
times, cannot be impressed too 
strongly upon the buyer of cotton 
at each plant. If you buy, say 100 
bales of cotton, say 1 1-8 in, then say 
that the next 100 bales is 7-8 inch, 
and then the next 100 bales is 1 inch 
staple, do you think that your su- 
perintendent can make even yarn 
out of it? No, I will answer that 
question. In reference to the above 
I should have said that tnis cotton 
is run at different times, as is the 
case in more than one mill through- 
out ihe South, therefore it is the 
writer's opinion that in several mills 
the buyer of cotton is responsible 
for the uneven yarn made. 

Assuming that we have good cot- 
ton the next point is to get a good 
lap. and in order to do this is is 
absolutely essential that the pickers 
be kept in a number-one condition, 
much could be said in regard to set- 
tings, fan speeds, etc., here, as well 
as at others throughout the mill. 
The writer will not take up settings 
and speeds in this article because 
in his opinion you could not give 
any set of rules that would apply 
to "the dffierent mills, therefore will 
lake it for granted that the over- 
seer should know just what settings 



63 



and speeds would suit his mill best, where it takes good judgment— 
In my experience in the mill I horse sense — to straighten out satis- 
have fo'und that it is a very good tartorily. 

idea to have laps from intermediate in regard to the drawing frame 
pickers weighted, because by so do- we will again mention a few things 
ing you can get evener laps from that, although it looks useless to 
the finisher picker, you relieve your mention such points as bad rolls, 
evener motion on the finisher by waste lapping around rolls, keeping 
keeping your laps even on the in- weight on rolls, flutes getting clog- 
termediate, thereby giving your ged with dirt, etc. The writer 
evener on the finisher picker chance thinks that the man that runs a 
to make good any excess of cotton mill and does not see such things 
caused by the picker hand lapping as those mentioned above would do 
over five ends on the apron in place better to be out on the farm raising 
of four. The evener should be reg- cotton, rather than trying to spin 
ulated so it would make a finished it, and that would also apply to the 
lap from three, four* or five laps remainder of the mill as well as the 
weigh the same; that is, if you are drawing frame, 
feeding in four laps on the apron of We cannot impress too strongly 
your picker, if for any cause one the importance of keeping your 
lap should stop feeding or be taken eyes open and seeing what you are 
off the apron, your evener should doing, don"t sit around until the 
make your finished lap just as if customer complains before you find 
nothing had happened. Assuming that you are making uneven yarn, 
that we have a good even lap, we if you do you will have several hun- 
now come to the card. It is also dred or possibly several thousand 
very important that this machine pounds already made before you 
be up to a high state of efficiency find that you have even made any 
as much depends on the card for at all. 

even yarn. The man that has a card We next come to the slubbers, 
making a bad or uneven sliver and Much could be said in regard to 
expects to remedy it at a later pro- stretching of sliver. Too much ten- 
cess, makes me think of the man tion. bad rolls, flyers in bad con- 
that rewinds a cone because it has dition. laps on rolls and possibly a 
oil on the end of it, to get the oil hundred other little things that will 
out, he may hide it but it still alw^ays have to be considered in the 
remains there. In the writer's opin- manufacture of yarns, that any good 
ion there is no way of making good section man would know all about, 
even yarn out of uneven or cut if, as I said several times before in 
sliver," whether it comes from the this article, he would only see — look 
cards or drawing frames. The above to find. It is not that most men that 
would also apply to fly frames mak- have charge of mills do not know 
ing cut or uneven roving. Again as- what causes bad or uneven yarn, it 
suming that we have a good even is that there are too many that are 
sliver from the card we then come careless and indifferent. If, as I 
to the drawing frame, which is the have said before, 75 per cent of the 
cause of no little -trouble when the uneven yarns that are made in the 
uneven yarn question comes up, mills, could be traced to the four 
there are several reasons why the causes of bad cotton, settings of 
drawing frame makes uneven yarn, gears, tention on fly frames, and 
such as speed being too high, but bad rolls, then if the men in charge 
the most common of all is draft would only keep their eyes open and 
gears not being set right — bum sec- see. they could make the other 25 
ond or section men. Most overseers per cent even yarn look like 30 
do not watch the men under them cents with a big hole in it. 
close enough, thereby letting the What I have said in regard to the 
mill get stocked up on uneven work slubber would, fur all practical men. 
before it is noticed. It does not mat- be sufficient for all fly frames, as 
ter how good the man is under the there is very little difference except 
overseer ,he — the overseer — should in the creel. 

keep his eyes on what he is- doing: We then come to spinning ma- 
that's what the overseers are paid chine. I say machine because the 
for; it is as I have said before, he word spinning would apply to *he 
should see what he sees, not shut mule as well as the ring frame. We 
his eyes to any thing that happens could hardly say any thing in regard 
in the mill. Many times, however, to the spinning frame or that is the 
he sees something going wrong ring frame, except something that 

64 



has already been said, such as bad 
rolls, roils not set right, gears not 
set properly and in general such 
things as should be known by all 
section men or at least second 
hands. The same would also apply 
to the mule, the mule could make 
uneven yarn out of good, even 
roving, just as could the ring frame, 
only in little different ways. The 
nuile generally makes more cut or 
uneven yarn than the ring frame 
if your mule spinner is not a num- 
ber-one man. The mule makes bad 
yarn by the ends being run too 
tight by the spinner, too much car- 
riage draft, fallows not being level 
and in line, the frame itself being 



out of level or line, carriage being 
out of square, jack bands beinjf too 
slack, and all other causes that the 
ring frame would apply to the mule. 

We could go on and write several 
hours, or possibly days on those lit- 
tle things, but as I have said before, 
the overseer that does not see these 
little things that we could mention, 
should be out on the farm raising 
the cotton for some one else to spin. 

In conclusion I will again say if 
you cannt see things when you go 
Lhrougn your mill you had better 
resign or go ana have your eyes ex- 
amined, so they can see what they 
see. 



IMuinber Thirty-One. 



By B. M. BOWEN, West Durham, N. C. 



In order to produce an even yarn 
there are a great many things that 
are essential, cotton of a good grade 
should be well mixed and should 
be opened some time before it is 
used in order that it might have a 
chance to loosen up. The hoppers 
should be kept well filled and about 
the same amount in them all the 
time, so that an even and uniform 
lap will be made on the breaker 
picker. Waste should be fed reg- 




B. M. Bowen 

West Durham, N. C. 



ular and not too much at a time. 
In a room where there are several 
machines the hoppers should all be 
set to feed alike so that laps of the 
same weight will be produced. 
Good piecing should be made on the 
intermediate and finisher pickers, 
eveners should be kept cleaned and 
well oiled, belts well pieced (an 
endless belt preferred) and kept 
near the center of the cone, all 
cages and air flues kept well clean- 
ed so that no obstructive matter 
will collect in them. All aprons 
should have the proper attention 
and be kept at the right tension to 
keep them from slipping and caus- 
ing thick and thin places in the 
laps. 

Cards should be attended to care- 
fully, all settings should be as near 
alike as the card will allow, laps 
should be put on so as not to cause 
thick or thin places in the sliver, 
the calender rolls should turn free- 
ly. The cans should not be allowed 
to run too full or the sliver will be 
strained. The front knife plates 
should all be set alike, the doffer 
and flats should all be set the same 
at both ends or cloudy and uneven 
carding will result. The card 
should be kept sharp and free from 
mashed places. 

The Drawing. 

The object of the drawing frame 
is to draw out several strands into 
one and thus reduce the uneven- 
ness that might exist in any one of 
the sliver. There are usually six 
ends put up at the back, all being 
drawn into one, the draft is gener- 



65 



ally about six, although there are should be looked after and those 
exceptions. The stop motion should that have become flattened on the 
be kept in perfect order; the hot- bottom end not allowed to run or 
tom and top rolls kept clean and tne roving will be strained. Tend- 
well oiled, all gears set properly ers, when creeling the frames, 
and weights kept so that they will should be very careful and not 
hang on the rollers instead of rest- piece and run three strands from 
ing on the weight relieving bars, the back thereby makmg a heavy 
The cans should be kept properly place which will cause heavy work 
arranged at the back so that the all the way through. All single and 
sliver will not be strained before double should be removed from the 
reaching the frames. The draft bobbin. It is only a habit among 
should not be too great between the the frame hands to make this and 
front and the calender rolls or un- it should receive the strictest at- 
pvpn slivpr will rpsnlt The draft Mention from the overseer and his 
f,':^!!,.f^l'?'^.„Y/^L'^.®'!^K^.^.l.'*?vJ. assistants. A good arrangement of 



should be just enough to keep the 
ends from bagging, a little bagging 



drafts should be on all processes 



even i«; betfer than the onnosite ex- throughout the carding department, 
treme A eood Test is to take a I shall not give the drafts here as 
Sil anii p'ress the end down? if f ^^^^ «^f ^^^9?,% ",t h S^'nf ^1.1 
the slack is taken up too quickly it SiT^cSi'' hT^n..'ptnnS Li.J\ 
\< pvidPTipp nf fnn miich draft Thp ^^^^^ should be carefully looked 
IS evidence ot too mucn arait ine ^ ^^ distance to slightly ex- 
cans should not be allowed to run ^eed the length of the staple being 
00 full for when they are so full ^ ^n \ n^^g ^^^ "^clearers 
there is too much friction against ^u^^ih hP kpnt rlpan 
the coiler and strained sliver is ^'^^^^^ '^^ ^®P^ ^^^^^• 

Spinning. 

Assuming that the roving is leav- 
ing the fly frames in as near per- 



sure to result. 

The Slubber. 

The cans should be placed at the 



slubber so that the rolls will not feet condition as it is ever possible 

run across each other. The lifting to get it, all skewers should have 

roll should be kept running, steel good points on the lower end and 

and leather rolls should be kept lint should not be allowed to collect 

clean and well oiled. Sometimes on them Creels should be kept 

the top back rolls are alowed to run clean and a wooden roymg rod is 

without oil until the hooks or sad- better than an iron one because the 

dies wear to an exact fit, then when latter will rust, especially m the 



the rollers are changed uneven rov 
ing will result. There should be 



summer time if the spinners touch 
it with sweaty hands. The rollers 



twist enough to allow the roving to should be kept m good condition 



be run off at the next process with 



and well oiled and should not be 



out being strained. The roll guide allowed, to choke up at the ends^ 
should he kept so that it will trav- The weights should all hang at the 
erse as near each end of the leather same place on the weight lever 
roll as is necessary. The bobbin not have some on the end and 
should have an even and uniform some in the center. Roving guides 
l?/y and not be so close that the fhould traverse as near the ends of 
roving will ride on the bobbin. The the rollers as possible. Lumps 

- ~ - - - should not be allowed to get m the 

trumpets and strain the roving. 
Spinners should be taught to make 
short piecings in settings in roving 
and all roving should be pulled off 
the bobbin and not cut off with a 
knife. The proper travelers should 
be used for the yarn being spun 
with the traveler cleaner properly 



tension should be carefully attend 
ed to or uneven roving will be 
made which will result in uneven 
yarn. There should be a percept- 
ible shake of the ends after the 
frames are doffed and started up 
and should remain the same 
through the filling of the set. 
Frames should be kept well clean 



ed so that no lint will be caught set, guide wires should be properly 

and carried into the work. Spin- set, spindles should be plumbed and 

dies and steps also should be kept set at least once a year Worn 

,, -i^ ^ *^ rings or rings of different sizes 
^^'^ °^'^^- must not lie used. All bands look- 
Intermediates and Roving Frames, ed after and all slack ones removed 

Intermediates and roving frames and new ones put on. Spindles are 

should have the same good atten- to bs oiled with a good grade of 

tion as the slubbers. The skewers spindle oil. The rollers should be 



set so that their distance will be a break or strain the yarn, 
little farther than the length of With the little things above men- 
staple being used. The draft tined and properly attended to a 
should not exceed 12. The spoolers good grade of yarn can be made, 
guides should be set so as not to 

Number Thirty- two. 



By W. T. BYRD, Oxford, N. G. 



First to consider is the cotton 
which you have to contend with. 
Of course, if the company has a 
rule to buy different grades of cot- 
ton, then we have got to run it in 
such a way as to get best results 
possible. The writer was on one 
job that used three different grades 
of cotton. We tried mixing it all 
together, but our work ran so bad 
that we couldn't run it, so we had to 
pick it out and get as near a uni- 
form mixing as possible, and run on 
one grade three weeks, then change 
our setting for another grade. Of 
course this was a lot of trouble, and 
I want to say right here that lazi- 
ness is the cause of a lot of uneven 
work. 

Picker Room. 

Now, say we run 15 bales of cotton 
a day and we haven't got a bale 
breaker. We should bring in 15 
bales at one time, and have it mix- 
ed together, and if you have room 




^^ . T. Byrd 

Oxford, N. C. 



in your picker room, have two bins 
that will hold 15 bales each. This 
will give you time to open up and 
dry out 15 bales before running 
them. Then you can set your break- 
ers to make any ounce lap, and you 
won't have to be always setting 
them. Train your breaker hand to 
keep hopper about the same all the 
time. Weigh your breaker laps and 
try to keep them the same, as this 
will help your intermediates to 
make more even laps; never allow 
your tapper hand to put four laps 
on apron at one time as this will 
cause your apron to slip; see that 
your evener belt works free; never 
allow them to be put together with 
anything except cement, as bad 
evener belts will cause uneven laps, 
for I am an endless belt man, and 
this will cover the belt proposition. 
Next see that your tappers are level, 
and cleaned up twice a year; see 
that they are properly oiled; give 
them a draft of four, as I believe 
this will give you the best results, 
and if you haven't got chains on 
your apron, it will help you if you 
will get them on. See that finisher 
hand keeps laps within 1-4 pounds 
of what they should weigh; see that 
your beaters are not speeded too 
iiigh; see that your draft on screens 
is right, for if' not this will cause 
your" laps to split, causing uneven 
sliver. If all these are looked after, 
and machines kept in good con- 
dition, I don't think you will have 
any trouble with your picker room. 

Cards. 

Now we find that the card has its 
part to do. If it fails, then we will 
not get even work. You should see 
that your cards are level, and kept 
sharp and all parts set alike; that 
is, doffer, lickerin, feed-plate, comb, 
and flats. You should see that every 
card takes out the same amount of 
stripping, and see that your fly is 
about the same for each card. The 
writer took one job where there 
were cards that were taking out 
lots of good cotton underneath, and 
the grinder said he hadn't set the 



•7 



screens in ten years, when they after is the man that runs them, for 
should be looked after every six it is hard to keep drawing frame 
months. Lickerin screens and mote hands. I think we make a mistake 
knives should be looked after every ^vhen we think anvbodv can run 
month because if these get out of drawings and cards. I hope the 

fhS^' nS'^.'in ^M^n,) .^,i,w nn"" t^me is not far ahead when we can 
throw out good cotton, causmg un- , . , j u j i 

even sliver See that the card hand P^>: ^^^™^ ^J?^ <^.f^ .,^\"^,s along 
doesn't lap his ends, see that he ^it-h slubber, then it will help us to 
pulls out all doublngs and singlings, keep good help, which will help us 
never allow him to pull stick out of to keep down uneven work, for it is 
lap too soon causing a roll on the impossible to get good results when 
floor. This will cause uneven sliv- vou have got a new drawing hand 
er. See that your cards are strip- everv month. See that your draw- 
ped as often as they need it, and jngs'have the proper draft. 5.50 to 
this will depend on the amount of /. ^ », , „„ ^tin i^^i, „4^»„„ ♦v^^c** 
stock you run. Try and give your f/^- " ^o^ ^'^^ look after these 
cards the proper draft— 95-105 would tilings, and watch your waste, it will 
be in the bounds of reason to get help to prevent uneven work. Now 
best results. I don't think cards we come to slubbers, 
should card more than 175 pounds .Slubbers^ Intermediates, Speeders. 
per day. I think mills today make See that your slubber is lined and 
a mistake trying to put through level; bobbin and spindle gears set 
more than the card can card, caus- right; all lost motion out of spindle 
ing cloudy carding, which causes and bobbin shaft; see that spindles 
uneven work. See that your cans are taken out once a year and bol- 
don't run too full, as this will cause sters cleaned out; flyers cleaned out; 
your sliver to be weakened. Look steel rollers and carriage cleaned 
after your setting and grinding, as twice a year; see that your steps 
this needs every mans attention, are oiled every month; spindles oil- 
Dont put too much confidence in ed twice a week. Give vour slub- 
your grinder. See that cards are bers the proper draft; see that ten- 
properly oiled and cleaned. If these sion is kept right; rollers picked and 
things are looked after, I don't see oiled every day; see that no bad 
why your cards shouldn't do good rollers stay in frame; see that sliver 
work. Now we come to the draw- guide is in good shape, and that you 
ing. _ have the same twist, draft, tension, 

Drawinfls: and lay gears on each frame of the 

See that your drawings are lined same number. See that ends are 
and level; see that your rolls are pieced right; keep clearer clean; 
cleaned every week and properly see that rollers are wiped with cot- 
oiled and that all knock-oflf motions ton instead of brushes; don't allow 
work free; see that your rollers are vour hands to fan off, as this will 
varnished every week; and see that get on roving. Look after your 
all loose rollers are taken out. If skewer sticks, and see that thev 
metallic, see that they are taken jont get blunt, causing roving to 
out every week and the ends clean- stretch, and keep cotton from 
ed and fresh oil put m them. If around them. Never allow frame 
this IS done, I find it will prevent hands to let singlings and doublings 
lots of slack ends. See that tension gg; see that they wrap fingers three 
IS right; see that clearers are clean- times. See that your frames are 
edevery hour; see that your weights ^ept in good shape and well oiled 
are right; never allow your drawing and vou will make good work, if 
hand to put seven ends up when you -^rju look out for the things 
six are required; see that he doesn't mentioned above and keep them 
put cotton under the spoons. If right, 
you have electric stop motion, see " Spinning: 

that all connections are clean. Nev- 0^,^111? reek should he wined 
er allow cotton to get on rollers; ^o'^^^f reels should J>e wipea 
see that oil is kept off of machine at least once a day; roller bars 
where electrical connection is made; fhould be wiped every two hours 
o«^ *v,^t ^^,,^ ^o,v^^t^ ^o l,^«lro^ to prevent trumpets from getting 
see that your magneto is looked ^^^\.^^^ ^s this will make rov- 
after; dont put too much oil on ■ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^w. Spinners should 
bearings, as this will make your cur- ]^q taught to blow or fan all the 
rent weak, if it gets on brushes. Of Unt off of the roving before setting 
course the greatest thing to look it in the frame, as this too will 

68 



cause your trumpets to get chocked around the ring. The size of thi 
up, thus preventing an even draft, ring should be governed according 
The rollers should be kept well lu- to number of yarn being spun, as 
bricated with oil. Good rolls should all spinners know too large a ring 
be run in the middle as well as in will result in uneven yarn, as you 
the front, as drafting is done be- cannot get your traveler regulated 
tween the middle and front rolls, to suit both the empty and full bob- 
Only enough drafting should be bin, as the traveler that is heavy 
done between the back and middle <'nough to keep the balloons from 
roll to keep the roving from slack- striking together on the full bobbin 
ing, as middle and back rolls are will stretch the yarn on the empty 
not set the proper distance to draft bobbin. The weight of the traveler 
and the more drafting done between should be so regulated as to be 
these two rolls, the more uneven light enough not to stretch the good 
yarn you will have. The front and yarn. 

middle rolls are built to do the ' jf the yarn is to be wound, too 
drafting, and they should be set ac- great a tension should not be placed 
cording to the staple of the cotton q^ it there ,and wherever it is used 
being run, I would say from .^^qy it is spun, care should be 
1-8 to 3-16 further apart than the taken to see that too great a strain 
length of your staple is. Lap rolls is not placed on it, as it can be 
should be kept clean at all times, ruined after it is spun, 
but no definite time can be set as "it is not he that knoweth, but he 
to how often they should be cleaned, that doeth my sayings, that shall in- 
owing to the different counts run, herit eternal life," sayeth the Lord 
and we all know that coarse counts of hosts. It is not so much in what 
will get rollers dirty quicker than a man knows in this enlightened 
fine counts; so clean them as often (jay, as in how he doeth that which 
as is necessary is all that can be he knows, and he that properly 
said. looks after the above mentioned 

The thread guides should be things will not be haunted by un- 
set so as to hold the thread even yarn. Lots more could be said 
to the center of the spindle. The on this subject and then the half 
ring rail should be perfectly level, would not be told, but space de- 
as the varn has to drag the traveler mands that I ring off. 



Number Thirty-three. 



By W. P. LEE, Lenoir, N. C. 

Speaking of a few things in regard to perform. The proper setting of 
to causes and prevention of uneven the various parts of cards is very 
varn, the first thing to be consider- often slighted and the quality of the 
ed is cotton. The staple or length work suffers thereby. Cards should 
of its fibre is of greatest import- have very close adjustments, loo 
ance, as it determines the quality of much attention cannot be given to 
yarn produced, also the size and clothing, gnndmg, setting cleaning 
setting of drawing rolls on different and operating cards Split or un- 
machines, etc. Where fine yarns even laps, dull clothing, clothing 
are to be made, a good grade of that has been mashed in places, un- 
cotton is absolutely necessary, even setting of the doffer. or flats. 
Beaters should be reduced to 1000 R. not being evenly set at both ends 
P. M. as the varn will be stronger too much draft between calender 
than with a fast beater speed. Feed rolls and coiler heads, cans under 
roll should be set to beater thick- coils running too full, cards not be- 
ness of a 2-foot rule, grids set to ing properly cleaned and oiled, card 
keep good cotton from mote box, hands fanning off fronts of cards, 
laps kept as uniform as possible. These are a few of the many things 
Evener motion should be near driv- about a card that cause uneven 
ing end of cone, waste must be mix- work, and they should have the 
ed as evenlv as possible, otherwise closest attention, 
uneven and' bad running work will Cards should be stripped every 
follow. Pickers should be clean and other one on a line at a time, in the 
oiled at all times. mean time teaching the hands not 

Cards have a very important duty to put up ends until the cylinder is 

69 



sufficiently filled up. On fine work fine frames would not be excessive, 

light card sliver and slow carding though slightly under the above 

will give the best results. Cards drafts will be better if conditions 

should have as even a humidity as will permit. 

possible Licker-ins are largely re- The setting of steel and leather 
sponsible for the class of work pro- rolls depends somewhat on the con- 
duced and must have close adjust- ditions such as cleaning, oiling and 
ments, and the best of attention. condition of leather rolls. With 

Where extra good quality fine everything in good condition, the 
yarns are wanted, lap machines and rollers set 1-16 farther than staple 
combers are used, though they will being used will give the best re- 
produce considerable uneven work suits. 

if not properly kept up. Lap ma- The roving traverse must be kept 
chines should have as short a draft moving. The tension of the ends is 
as conditions will permit. Knock- very important. If they are too 
off motions must be kept in working slack, roving will be too heavy and 
order. Leather rolls should be kept if too tight, strained and light rov- 
clean and free from lumps in ends, ing will result. The top cones must 
They rrjust be newly varnished be kept tight, cone belts clean and 
often. Steel rolls must be scoured free from slippage, and spindle and 
once a month. Laps should be put. bobbin gears kept properly set. The 
on as evenly as possible. The pol-' lost motion on vertical angle and 
ished sliver plates must be frequent- compound must be kept out. The 
ly polished with whiting. Machines proper lav gear must be used 
must be carefully cleaned and oiled One full and one half full bobbin 
at regular intervals. Combers must should be run at each end at a lime, 
have uniform setting. I will not Flyers must be free from rough 
give rule for setting, as grade of places. Speeder hands should not 
cotton, amount of waste wanted be allowed to stuff cotton under 
out size laps, are to be consider- slats when bobbin gets too small, 
ed. Combers should be torn down T\^'0 or more sizes of bobbins should 
to upright stands, carefully cleaned not be used on a frame at the same 
and scoured, resetting and removing time. If they are, an operative will 
all worn- parts before putting up the take up tension for the small size 
machine. This should be done twice that is running slack. The larger 
a year. Half laps must be kept free one will then be too tight and 
from hooked ends. The sliver pans stretched roving is the result, 
and plates must be polished fre- The roving should not have more 
quently with whiting. Half laps and twist than is necessary to turn bob- 
top combs must be examined often bins in the spinning room. Sing- 
and kept in good condition. lings, doublings, and hard ends 

Leather detaching rolls must be should be avoided at all times. Four 

newlv varnished once a week. Draw bobbins from each hank roving 

head must be kept cleaned and oiled, should be sized daily and kept as 

also leather rolls kept in good con- uniform as possible, 

dition. Laps should be set in as Spinning. 

evenly as possible. Uneven work jt is useless to sav that the most 

may be caused on draw frames by fruitful cause for uneven varn on 

running in too much waste at one spinning frames is tho rollers. Thev 

time, rollers not being properly cov- mav be drv. fluted, worn, or choked 

ered or weighted, as improperly oil- with waste or improperly set. The 

ed rollers may be choked at the setting of the steel and leather rolls 

ends with wa.ste, or not properly ad- depends a good deal on the above 

justed with the staple being used, conditions. With everv thing in 

and clearers not being clean. good condition, the setting should 

With the above things in good slightly exceed the staple being 

shape, rollers should be set with used. On medium and fine yarn, 

front rollers 1-8 inch farther than where good grade cotton is being 

staple, middle and back 1-16 inch. used, back saddles should not be 

Frames should not exceed a draft used. T would also use a slight 

of 6. Steel rolls should be scoured draft between middle and back rolls, 

once a month. Speeders, excessive This will enable us to get a closer 

drafts and rollers improperly set setting, which means smoother yarn 

are the most frequent causes of un- and better running spinning, 

even roving. Draft of 4 on slub- The draft of the spinning frame 

bers. 5 on intermediates and 6 on should not exceed 12 at the outside, 

70 



and if conditions will permit, a draft 
slightly under that will give better 
results. Rings and spindles must be 
set and plumbed at the top and 
bottom once a year. Worn rings 
must not be used. The size of the 
rings is governed by the number of 
the yarn being made. The proper 
travelers must be carefully selected 
at all times. Traveler cleaners 
must be used, to keep travelers 
from being choked with lint. Worn 
guides, guides not being properly 
set, spindles vibrating for lack of 
oil. bands running slack, slack belts, 
excessive speed, draft or crown 
gears not being set deep enough, so 
they slip a tooth occasionally or 
being set too deep and causing the 
rolls to quiver. These are some of the 
thifigs that cause uneven and bad 
running spinning. Bad work will 
al60 be caused by steel rolls being 
bent: or worn at stands, causing 
lost motion; flat flutes may be 
scratched, broken roving sets or 
skewers with blunt ends; yarn 



getting too light or heavy; spare 
roving left on frames too long, 
trumpets choked with lint; levers 
not level; weights not hooked on 
levers at same hook; improper hu- 
midity, roving traverse standing at 
one place; one end of steel or leath- 
er rolls becoming roped with cot- 
ton, not allowing other end on same 
arbor the proper tension; leather 
rolls in poor condition; giving 
spinners more sides than they can 
efficiently keep up; not keeping 
frames properly oiled and cleaned. 
All these little things should be 
guarded against at all times. 

After the yarn leaves the spinning 
frame, it can be shaved and other- 
wise weakened by the spooler and 
winder guides being improperly set, 
twister rings being out of plumb, 
worn twisters, or travelers, etc. 
Many other things could be men- 
tioned in regard to uneven yarn, 
but for lack of space I will not go 
farther into details at this time. 



Number Thirty-four. 



By J. A. PARKER, Greenville, S. C. 



We will flrst take up the many 
causes that contribute to the unev- 
enness of yarn. 




i. .\. Parker 

Greenville. S. C. 



The first and direct principle of 
making yarn is drawing a small 
portion of fibers from a larger body 
of fibers and twisting them, caus- 
ing same to form a thread or yarn. 
Too much twist in the roving, caus- 
ing stock not to draw easily and 
slip under middle roller and not 
draw uniformly. 

If roving traverse stroke is too 
short, the middle top roller will be- 
come hollow or creased, allowing 
stock to slip from under middle 
roller, which shows much irregular- 
ity in yarn. 

Hollow middle rollers on any pro- 
cess throughout the card room, will 
cause uneven roving or sliver, and 
shows up badly on yarn, when the 
doubling does not match up and off- 
set same. 

It's a fact that yarn has short 
and long, thick and thin places. The 
spinning frame is responsible for 
the short, uneven places in the 
yarn, and the longer places are 
drawn out from uneven roving 
The best demonstration of the above 
fact, is to carry stock from slubber 
on through your regular processes, 
and spin same, which will show 
where most of your unevenness is 



71 



made. After leaving drawing 
frames, this stock should go through 
single. 

For example: Take length of 
thick or thin place in yarn and 
divide by draft, on spinning head. 
Repeat this operation at each pro- 
cess until length of uneven place is 
less in inches than draft. , which 
shows the process it started on. 
The overseer should teach the help 
to piece roving tip to tip when 
creeling. Tight tention on flyer 
frames, causing twist to slip after 
being laid in roving, which will draw 
very uneven on spinning. 

Loose cotts or drawing new cotts 
on old flannels or large ended rolls, 
dry saddles on top rolls, any of the 
above in card room or spinning 
room will make very uneven yarn. 

The overseer should have very 
rigid rules on cleaning steel rollers 
and top rollers; be careful to see 
that all chokes are kept out. 

Roller setting is a very vital point 
in making uniform yarn. You have 
to be governed by the weight of 
stock you are - setting for. Too 
close to point of staple on heavy 
stock is just as hurtful as too far 
off. If you are carrying an over 
amount of twist in roving, you have 
to set rollers off, to allow stock to 
condense free, and not draw un- 
even. 

There is quite a lot of unevenness 
in yarn caused by improper draft. 
There is a standard draft on all the 
different processes t-hat is a good 
guide for an overseer to be governed 
by. 7-inch draft on spinning head, 
single roving, is commonly known 
as the standard basis to reckon 
from. 

It's a known fact that the best re- 
sults are obtained from a 7-inch 
draft under all conditions, with 
single roving on spinning. That is 
where 7-inch draft originated for a 
basis. 

A draft too short draws the stock 
too much in a body and tightens the 
twist in roving and lets loose in 



bunches, which causes uneven 
yarn. 

A draft too long gives you bad re- 
sults from having to use a very 
heavy hank roving, which carries 
more short fibers, and while the long 
fibers are being drawn out, the short 
fibres follow in bunches causing 
thick and thin places. Good results 
can be obtained from a 20-inch draft 
on spinning head by using a light 
hank roving 3 or 4 double. 

It is possible for a perfect strand 
of yarn to be made out of cotton, 
but not probable, as it would be 
more expensive than silk. 

Cotton, like other plants, has 
a nature peculiar to itself. A bale 
of upland cotton 1-inch staple will 
possibly have 25 per cent 1-iuch 
staple, 50 per cent 15/16-inch staple, 
15 per cent 7/8-inch staple, 10 per 
cent 3/4-inch staple. Another bale 
grown from the same seed on the 
same farm, under the same climatic 
conditions, and planted on same 
date, only growing on bottom land, 
has 50 per cent 1-inch staple, 40 per 
cent 15/16-inch staple, 10 per cent 
7/8-inch staple. Now it is impos- 
sible to mix these two bales of cot- 
ton and get perfect results, either 
in combed stock or carded stock. 

For a perfect strand of yarn we 
will use 1 3/16-inch staple, accord- 
ing to writer's experience on 
staples, 1 3/16-inch staple has prov- 
en to be the best average American 
staple. 

This cotton must show 50 per cent 
1 3/16-inch when pulled. It must go 
through pickers very light and card- 
ed with 15 per cent waste and 
combed with 50 per cent waste, leav- 
ing us as a result all your fibers 
a perfect uniform length, with 
proper doublings, light hank rov- 
ings, proper drafts, low twist, no 
tention. bites of rollers up to point 
of staple, and your different ma- 
chines properly adjusted, you can 
spin a strand of yarn uniform and 
round. 



Number Thirty -five. 



By E. G. WAITS, Goldville, S. C. 



If I understand this contest, un- so as to keep an even temperature 
even yarn means what we generally in this room at all times. Why 
call lumpy and thick and thin should this be? Because some cot- 
places in yarn. So I will begin at ton has too much moisture in it 
Opening ]^oom. and dries out between picfers and 

I think every opening room should roving frames. With the opening 
be equipped with a heating system room heated to about 90 degrees, it 

72 



would dry out this excess moisture Cards. 
that now causes us to do so much I will start with an even lap on 
changing in our draft gears. When back of card, and suppose that the 
we are all the time changing draft card hand should piece laps at back 
gears, we are causing more or less so as not to make a thick or thin 
uneven yarn. The cotton that did place in the sliver. The following 
not have too much moisture in it things will cause uneven yarn: 
would not dry out any with a tem- Licker-in bearing set too far off from 
perature of 90 degrees in the open- feed plate; dull licker-ins; flats set 
ing room. We would then get an to far from cylinder; card not clean- 
even moisture in our cotton which ing the sliver, but allowing the 
means evener yarn and less chang- motes and trash to go through; 
ing. jams on cylinder and doffer, cutting 
Ck)tton, holes in sliver; doffer combs that 

Uneven staple causes a lot of un- catch the sliver and let it off in 

even yarn. If we had a thousand bunches. Keep the combs so that 

bales of cotton to run through a they will not hang the sliver. Keep 

mill, 500 of which was 7-8-inch all gears set tight. I have seen the 

staple and the other 500 bales 1 1-8- draft gear on a card on the outside 

inch, we should not mix this cotton, shaft just turn the feed roll about 

We should set our machines and half way round, and then feed roll 

rollers to suit the 7-8-inch staple would stop for a bit. Keep all 

and run it through and then set the gears set about two-thirds in mesh, 

machines and rollers for the 1 1-8- Another cause at the cards for un- 

inch staple. Uneven staple will cer- even yarns is allowing cans to run 

tainly cause uneven yarn, as -no too full, which will stretch the 

settings will suit mixed length sliver, 

staple. Drawing, Roving and Spinning. 

Pickers. Anything that will cause rollers to 

Uneven laps mean uneven yarn, bounce and drag means uneven 
although even laps do not mean yarn. Too long a draft in any pro- 
even yarn every time, as there are cess, too much twist in roving, ear- 
so many places where it can be riage standing on change, forming 
made uneven, through the carding a knot on the end of the bobbin, are 
and spinning rooms. How can we other causes for uneven yarn. No 
make even laps on picks? If the frame tender should be allowed to 
breaker laps are uneven, we get lap ends or not splice end to end. 
uneven intermediate and finisher Both rollers on one arbor should be 
laps. In order to get even laps on the same size in diameter, other- 
the breaker picker, the feed box wise uneven work will follow, 
should be kept with the same Grooved rollers will cause uneven 
amount of cotton in it at all times, yarn; all rollers should be smooth 
and we should see that every part and as stated above should be of 
of the machine is doing what it the same diameter where there are 
should do to make an even lap. See two rollers on one arbor. All rol- 
that all gears are tight on shafts lers should be kept clean and well 
and rollers. Also see that the oiled so as to turn free and easy, 
screen is tight on shaft and clean and not allowed to drag. All rolls 
and that the air current is sufficient should also be set to suit the staple 
to draw the cotton from beater box of the cotton in order to get even 
without allowing the cotton to drag yarn. Tight ends, stretching the 
and come up in bulks to the screen, roving, is another cause for uneven 
The aprons and belts must be tight yarn; ends should be run as slack as 
enough not to slip. See that the possible to run good on every ma- 
friction pulley is not too tight so as chine. Keep clearers clean so none 
to stretch the lap. Dull beaters and of the clearer waste will pull off 
far off settings will cause uneven and go through on sliver, and see 
laps. Keep beater sharp and set it that no machine is fanned off with 
just as close to feed roll as possible a fan rag unless it is clean, for if 
to do without damaging the staple of they are dirty and covered with lint, 
the cotton. Avoid starting and it will get on roving and yarn, and 
stopping pickers with feed gear in cause uneven work. It should be 
gear with feed roll; this will cause the desire of every carder and 
uneven laps; always knock the feed spinner to improve the sliver and 
roll gears out of gear, for if you yarn at every process through which 
don't it will cause uneven laps. it goes. Never allow sliver and 

73 



yarn to be made worse at any pro- see that it is made a little bit better 
cess, and more uneven. If anything at every process. 

Number Thirty-six. 



By R. M. BARNHAM, Mayodati, N. C. 



I think one of the greatest causes 
of uneven yarn is uneven top rol- 
lers, and as long as we have untrue 
rollers we will have uneven yarn. 
If one end of the roller is larger than 
the other it will not bear evenly on 
the steel rolls and will not run true 
on tne steel roller. For one end has 
more running surface than the oth- 
er, which will cause one end to run 
against the capbar harder than the 
other until it slips, and when it 
slips it makes uneven work. All 
rollers should be of the same si/e, 
for if one is larger than another, it 
will have more cushion, and one will 
bed in the flutes of the steel roller 
and cause the fibres to crimp and 
when the fibre crimps in the flute 
deeper than the others, it will make 
the yarn light, because it gets the 
top and bottom surfaces of the 
flutes of steel rollers by having a 
greater cushion. And it has its ef- 
fect on every machine it goes 
through, and by the time it goes 
through the mill, you not only have 
uneven work, but you have a great 
variation in your work, for the 
work will not draw alike where one 
roller has a greater cushion than 
the other. There is only one way 
to overcome this trouble. That is 
to grind the rollers down until they 
are perfectly true, for I think all 
rollers should be dressed up, for it 
takes all of the high and flat places 
off of them and gives them a good, 
true and smooth surface. Until you 
get this, you will always have un- 
even yarn. 

Of course there are people who 
try to roll the rollers true and 
some burn them down, but I do not 
like either method, for either way 
takes away the quality that you get 



from covering, for the rollers are 
hard and they do not bed in the 
flutes of the steel rollers as they 
should. You may as well have steel 
rollers without flutes if you do not 
have rollers that will cushion and 
get some grip to prevent the fibres 
from slipping. I do not see how you 
can expect to get even yarn with 
burnt down or rolled down rollers, 
for there is no way to burn or roll 
them down all alike. You would 
burn down one end more than the 
other, if you get them true, and the 
same is true of rolling them. Rol- 
lers of this kind will cause uneven 
work because they will not cushion 
alike. 

A good, smooth, true, soft, springy 
roller that will let a hard end come 
through and then spring back to keep 
from cutting the next time traverse 
carries the roving across is one of 
the greatest features in making 
even yarn when all steel rolls are 
running true. 

Of course there are other causes 
of uneven yarn, such as uneven 
laps, bad carding, not enough mois- 
ture, rollers not properly spread, 
too long a draft, too much twist in 
roving, bad piecing all through the 
mill. This is what the majority of 
the writers will write about, and 
that is where I think they are in 
error, for I do not think that any 
of the above will do as much bad 
work as bad rollers will. It is im- 
possible, I think, to make even yarn 
without good, smooth, true rollers, 
so if every reader of this article 
who is having trouble with uneven 
yarn will put this in practice, I am 
sure he will find a great improve- 
ment in his work. 



Number Thirty-seven. 



By JAMES OATES, Siluria, Ala. 



The subject for this contest is a farmer stores his cotton in a cotton 
good one, and I am glad to have the house while it is damp, and some- 
opportunity to give my experience times, even while it is wet. Even 



on this line. 



though this cotton contains the 



To begin with, I will go to where seed and is stored in a compect 



the cotton is stored away after pick 
ing. In may cases we find that the 

74 



manner, it becomes mildewed, and 
to a certain extent becomes weak 



and rotten. This evil can be pre- 
vented by being sure that the cotton 
is dry before it is packed away to 
await ginning and at the same time 
if the cotton goes to the gin while 
damp, we need not look for good, 
even ginning, as we all know that 
damp or wet cotton cannot be gin- 
ned well. This can be prevented by 
taking precautions along this line. 
In my judgment, to even get first- 




James Gates 

Siluria, Ala. 

rate yarn, we should bear in mind 
that after the cotton is taken from 
the cell in which it grows, it must 
be treated very carefully, and the 
quality of the yarn produced de- 
pends on the treatment it gets. 

I shall not discuss buying cotton. 
Mixing Cotton in the Opening Room. 

The matter of making up a mix- 
ture of cotton at the opening room 
is an important problem. We 
might say that the evenness of the 
card sliver depends largely on the 
average mixing. It is a good policy 
to, assign a special man to see to 
the mixing of the cotton. If it is 
mixed at random, we get our qual- 
ity at random throughout the fol- 
lowing processes. To prevent this 
careless mixing, the overseer should 
see that it is properly done. To 
obtain good even mixing, take say 
one bale of first, one bale of second 
and one bale of third, and so on, 
and tearing it into small tufts allow 
it to stand a day or so if possible. 
Give the fibres time to expand as 
much as possible so that when the 
cotton is fed to the opener it will 
receive the full benefit of the open- 
ing process. It is a fact that the 
picker cannot do the work of the 
opener, so the opener is essential to 

75 



begin with. Improper mixing and 
opening cannot be rectified at the 
next process. 

Next, we pass on to the breaker, 
where the cotton receives practi- 
call its first beating or cleaning 
action. These beater wings should 
be kept in first-rate condition. 
There are in the picker room break- 
er, intermediate and finisher pick- 
ers. How well the carding can be 
done depends on the beating and 
cleaning of the cotton, also how 
even the sliver will be. Excessively 
heavy laps to the yard will produce 
bad, uneven work for carding. To 
prevent any uneven card sliver, is 
in my jurgment, to produce good 
work, with a 9-ounce lap, the card 
kept in good condition, card light 
and quick. At this process of card- 
ing, it is essential to good, even 
yarn in the spinning, to keep the 
proper setting at the proper places. 
Carding is the place where the fibres 
are laid paralelel with each other. 
I think carding should get the very 
best care that can be had, as here 
the very small pieces of foreign 
matter are taken out. 

Now after getting our sliver in 
good condition on the cards, we take 
it to the drawing frames. At this 
process, metallic rolls are generally 
used. Getting these rollers mixed 
will cut the stock and cause uneven 
work. These rolls should be kept 
clean and oiled when necessary. 
The draft here should not exceed 6 
inches for the first drawing. The 
second drawing should be treated 
in like manner, with a draft of 5 3-4 
inches. 

The sliver from the drawing 
frames is taken to the slubber 
where it is started in the form of 
being placed on bobbins. The slub- 
ber is a machine that needs a very 
cautions watch kept over it. The 
draft on the slubber should not ex- 
ceed 5 inches at most, or be less 
than 3 1-4 inches, depending, of 
course, on the length of the staple. 
Rolls set too far apart on this ma- 
chine with short cotton will make 
uneven roving. 

Gentlemen, let me emphasize right 
here, that if drawing sliver and 
slubber roving is made uneven, it 
cannot be rectified in the succeed- 
ing processes. 

It would take too much space to 
give all causes and remedies for un- 
even yarn. Difl"erent size bobbins 
will cause uneven yarn, as will too 
tight a tension on the slubber. 
Weather conditions affect the ten- 



sion on the flj' frames, in some cases 
enough to justify changing the ten- 
sion gear. After maintaining the 
slubber in good condition, the same 
troubles are to be overcome on the 
intermediate as on the previous 
machines, for the roving is next 
run on the intermediate. The draft 
on. the intermediate should not ex- 
ceed ^ 1-2 or 6 inches. Then the 
finisher flyer frames, where this 
roving from the intermediate is 
used, has the same troubles to be 
overcome as the previous flyer 
frames. 

I shall name some of the causes 
and remedies for uneven yarn 
caused in the carding department. 
These are cloudy and uneven card- 
ing; overdrafts; weights too heavy; 
dirty rolls on drawing frames; dry 
rolls on slubber, intermediate and- 
finisher fly frames; lost motion in 
gearing; poorly balanced carriage 
and allowing frame hands to take 
up the tension. I think it is a bad 
practice for the overseer to allow 
in his room anything that will re- 
flect on the quality of the finished 
product of the mill in which he is 
employed. 

Gentlemen, I do not contend that 
uneven yarn cannot be made in the 
spinning department, and I will dis- 
cuss that later. But I do contend 
that the greatest number of causes 
and remedies are largely found in 
the treatment of the cotton in the 
various machines which it must 
pass before it reaches the spinning 
department. However, nowadays, 
it has become necessary for every 
one concerned to take precautions 
against bad work. 

It is not what a man knows that 
helps his employer out on any evil, 
but it is the employee putting that 
which he knows in practice. Listen, 
friendship and harmonious rela- 
tions have just as much to do with 
good work as anything I know of. 
Please pardon me, but be business- 
like with every employee. I think 
the overseer should be a positive in- 
structor and leader for his help. 
Practice will prevent uneven yarn 
to a certain extent. As a matter of 



fact we are obliged to confess that 
we find in the carding department 
a tendency to get a large stock of 
roving ahead of the spinning for 
different reasons, such as having 
more time to clean up, wanting a 
day off, or some similar reason, 
failing to have in mind the amount 
of uneven yarn this rushed through 
stock will cause. Now, to prevent 
this evil, the carder should keep in 
mind that when he is done with the 
stock, that it is just in the youth of , 
its construction. 

Please keep the making of roving 
well fixed in your heads, as on it de- 
pends the making of even yarn. 
Spinning. 

To begin with I will say that spin- 
ning is the place where the body of 
the yarn is formed by attenuating 
the roving to the required size/ or 
number. But in view of the lact 
that uneven yarn is our subject and 
to give causes and remedies in spin- 
ning, I will assume that I have good, 
clean stock as roving from which to 
make this yarn. 

Some of the causes of uneven yarn 
are: Back lash in gearing; stopped 
up roving trumpets, or roving trav- 
erse not in motion, and causing rolls 
to crease; too much twist in roving 
for weights to break; rollers set too 
close, breaking the fibres; rollers set 
too far apart, and fibres slipping by 
each other; overdrafting; poorly set 
top leather rolls; roller cots not 
right on tension; thick and thin skins 
on solid rolls; levers resting on creel 
broads; rolls run too long leaving on 
old tension. 

However, I want to say that an 
up-to-date overseer, who is not 
afraid to do or have done this work, 
can remedy each and every cause 
which I have previously mentioned, 
by doing nothing less than run the 
job. Let's reason together that if 
roving is more even with the above 
causes rectified, then you are sure 
to get good even yarn on an average. 



Number Thirty-eight 



By L. R. SUMMEY, Belmont, N. C. 



My experience on yarn is that we correctly. If a lap is one ounce off 
must start at the coiler room. First in weight, it will make singlings on 
have the screens in good order, and cards. Third, have the card ground 
second, have every lap weighing right. I mean by this, not to have 

76 



a jackleg grinder, for some of the ly to prevent the cage from jump- 
best get careless in putting the card ing. 

up. They have the most of the fiber Tenth, the cage jvmiping stretches 

going into the fly by not setting the roving and many think the 

right. trouble is in the draft, and will 

Fourth, we must have our counter change the draft and make things 

belts pulling level. If they are not worse than before, 

level, it will cause the frames to Eleventh, have correct tension 

shake, making light places in the gear to prevent tight ends, and do 

yj^Pjj not allow the hands to change it. 

Fifth have the driwine rol's Sometimes they change the tension 

i-iitn, nave tne arawing roi.s j ^^^ • um^ecessary. 

cleaned once or twice a day to pre- Twelfth, see that you have no 

vent lumps. The machine niust be ^j j ^ spindles or loose bolsters, as 

clean every week. I mean by this j^j^^g^ ^^^j^^ uneven yarn 

to take the rollers out and scrub Thirteenth, clean the frames from 

ki'^h JS^.no''i\hT..^ni^ ^o in^n ^he Tollers to the spindle gears 

See that none of the rolls are jump- ^ 3 ^ g months. 

ing, tor If they are, it will cause un- Fourteenth, have the frames oil- 
even yarn. ^^ ^^jj every day to make them 

Sixth, beware of singlings. See run smooth and prevent uneven 

that no such work goes through. yarn. 

Seventh, have first-class rollers We must havo our belts pulling 

on speeders, so they will run steady. What I mean by this is that 

smoothly. they must not have too much slack. 

Eighth, we must have our rolls If they have they will jump and 

set to right and correct gauge to cause uneven yarn. A frame can- 

the staple of cotton we are running, '^ot make even yarn when the coun- 

Ninth, we must see that the frames ^er belt is jumping, because it makes 

are kept in good order, meaning by the frame jump when running, 

this that they must be kept clean stretching the roving and making 

and the Sampsons running smooth- uneven work. 

Number Thirty -Nine. 



By F. L. ABERNATHY, East Monbo, N. G. 



In discussing the subject of the To begin with the picking depart- 
causes and preventions of uneven ment, silways keep your hopper or 
yarn there are a great many things breaker lap machine filled about 
to consider and I would like to say the same, so as to get a good, even 
in the beginning that I do not ex- feed on your machine, say about 
pect to give all the causes and pro- two-thirds full. Have a good evener 
ventatives of uneven yarn. How- on your intermediate picker and 
ever, will try to give some of the get as near an even lap here as pos- 
things which I have learned from sible so you will not have trouble 
experience. A great many times we on finisher for an uneven lap will 
find the cause of uneven yarn sure give you uneven yarn. So be 
brought about by not taking the sure your laps are a certain weight, 
proper care in selecting the raw yard by yard, as nearly as you can 
stock, that is, not buying the grade possibly get them, and see that even- 
of cotton that should be used, on ers work well and that you have a 
the particular grade of yarn we ex- nice, smooth lap. It is a good idea 
pect to turn out. If we do not have to weigh your laps from time to 
this we have a hard proposition try- time, to see if they are correct by 
ing to make even yarn, but some the yard, as well as by the finished 
times by the proper care taken in lap. Don't beat your cotton too 
mixing we can overcome some of much. I have seen the quality of 
the causes of uneven yarn. I would yarn increased in strength by dis- 
like to say here that if we expect to posing of one of the beaters, 
get good results we should always With a good even lap for cards we 
select our cotton before mixing, so should not overlook them if we 
as to get a good average of what- want good results. We should not 
ever grades of cotton we have and try to card too heavy a lap and 
get a uniform mixing and let it have our feed so as to not let our 
air out, say a week before using. licker-ins cut the cotton too much. 

77 



See that each card is ground prop- to get a fairly even yarn, 

eriy and all parts set the same on On spinning frames I find that 

each card and keep them stripped the cause of most of our uneven 

out systematically. Grind your yarn is brought about by the little 

cards as often as is necessary to things which are more than likely to 

keep them sharp. be neglected and they are many. Of 

The drawing frame should be course, we suppose that we have 
watched very closely for right here good even roving to start with, 
we are sure to get a lot of uneven See that your roving has plenty of 
work if we neglect this machine, twist in it, that is just enough to 
and very often this is done. Look keep it from stretching while pass- 
after your rolls carefully and keep jng from creel to rolls. Second, do 
them properly set for your work not draft over ten, on double roving 
and don't get them too wide apart, or seven on single, if you want good 
Keep your weights well adjusted, even yarn. Keep your top rolls in 
A way to do this is to clean your good running order, have them well 
rolls every week and look over cleaned and oiled as often as is 
your settings. See that your trump- necessary. To keep them clean, a 
ets are all bored the same and look ^^^^ pj^n to work by is to have 
out for your draft between front section man go over all his rolls at 
and calender [oil or you will stretch j ^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^ 
slivers. All these things wiU give ^^ g ^ ^ ^^ 
you uneven work if not kept in ^ j ^ ^ f^ . ^ „ ^ ^^^^ 
proper shape Do not draw too (^^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^j^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ ^ ^^ 
much here, not over six .^^ j^ ,^ ^ -j ^.^^ 

On fly frames we get a ot of un- ^^ .^^^ . ^ ^j .^ j, ^ 

even work by not looking after J ^ .^ ^l^^^ ^^^ 

tension. This I think is one of the rpstin^ on Vrppl hoards Keen 

greatest sources from which uneven ^^^ ^^e/l TfveTed and weighted AU 

yarn comes and It r^eguires a lot of j^ j . ^^j^ \ ^ ^^^ 

attention o keep tensions right, and ^ ^^ ^^ spindles, spindles 

If not looked after Pjoperly the ^j^rating for lack of oil or worn 

i^n^^ Th i ihnniH^'PnPvpr hP ^^nw bolsters Be sure to keep ring rails 

T^V ^J/^-c^^.^.'ifLr llJ^Lr^^^^^^^ level and look carefully after your 

ed. Twist IS another very particu- travelers and see that they are not 

lar and deceiving evil, and a great niixed 

many times you will find that just All these little things will give 

enough to keep roving from break- you an uneven yarn if they are not 

ing back m the creels will seem to j^ept in proper shape. Another 

be sufficient, but by careful exami- source of uneven yarn is sometimes, 

nation you will find your roymg through carelenssness, the wrong 

stretching just enough to weaken ^^jst, or draft gear will be put on 

your yarn. I believe that a great some of your frames. The writer 

deal of our uneven yarn comes from took charge of a spinning room one 

either too tight a tension or not ti^e and found three different sizes 

enough twist. Of course there are of draft gears running, which were 

many other sources of uneven- supposed to be making the same 

ness, but if you will look after the yarn, so this is very important and 

things above mentioned and keep should be looked after, 

your rollers in good shape, that is, jn conclusion. I would like to sav 

properly cleaned, oiled, and all bad ^iiat if you will look carefully for 

rolls kept replaced, rolls properly ^^e little things the larger ones will 

spaced for your staple, and your j^g found 
drafts not too long, you can expect 

Number Forty. 



By B. L. DOBY. Lumberton, N. C. 



The opening room is where we proper results, as some of the cot- 
start the manufacture of cotton ton is grown in one State and some 
yarn. Here we must take in consid- in another, and we are sure to have 
eration that we must have a floor great difference in the staple of the 
space large enough to open up six cotton. By opening and mixing the 
or eight bales of cotton to get the several different bales, we get a 

78 



more uniform grade. We must Coming to the intermediate, we 
keep in mind that wet or damp cot- again have a process where we 
ton will give us trouble throughout must see that the machinery is kept 
the plant and our weights will be clean. Never allow the operatives 
hard to keep up. to lap the ends or make hard ends. 

Now we come to the pickers. Here Here we start at the point where 
we must be very careful to have singlings and doubling are often 
the hopper feed evenly and not al- made, and we should give the oper- 
low the picker man to let the hop- ator strict instructions in regard to 
pers be full of stock at one time and this menace, as singling and doub- 
run empty another, as this will ling are sure to give you trouble 
cause thick and thm places in the through the rest of the process of 
lap. We must have the aprons on manufacturing the yarn, 
the lappers kept in good condition At the fine speeders, we should 
and see that both sides are set at all times keep the rolls oiled and 
properly, as the aprons play an im- cleaned and see that they are set 
portant part in making even laps, together to suit the staple that we 
Then too, we must see that the are running, as this plays an im- 
evener belt is kept in good shape, portant part in the evenness of the 
so as to perform its duty in making roving. See that the speeder tender 
an even lap. See that the lapper man looks after the frames and keeps 
never sets aside a lap to be deliv- them well cleaned. If he lets sing- 
ered to the card that varies over lings pass, charge them to him and 
1-4 pound. The lap should be you will not find many more, 
handled carefully by the operatives we now come to the spinning, 
when dehvermg it to the cards. Here we must bear in mind that 

Now we come to the cards, one of we are on the last process in the 
the most important processes in the making of yarn. We can take the 
manufacture of cotton yarn. See best roving made and ruin it on the 
that they are set properly and kept spinning frames in several different 
clean at all times. They should be ways. First, by drafting too much; 
stripped out at least 4 times a day. second, by not having the rolls set 
Great care should be exercised in properly to suit the staple that we 
putting up the ends. Do not allow are running; third, by cut yarn 
the operative to lap the rolls to- caused by gears not properly set; 
gefher, as this makes a heavy lump fourth, by bands being tied on too 
all the way through the rest of the slack; fifth, by dry rolls, as a dry 
process of manufacture. roll will not draw evenly. We 

We next come to the drawing, should have the spinner to keep on 
Here we begin to double the pro- the lookout for singling and doub- 
cess. Six rolls are run in one and ling at all times. See that the trav- 
we should see that the operative elers are well regulated, for a trav- 
looks after them very carefully, eler too light will allow the spinning 
Never allow him to start the draw- to make single yarn where we are 
ing for the purpose of putting up running double roving, and on the 
an end, and hold the machine run- other hand a traveler that is run too 
ning with only five rolls instead of heavy will cause the ends to break 
six. as this will cause much trouble down and keeps the spinner con- 
all the way through. Use care and stantly putting up ends, and you are 
do not draft too much on the draw- s^re to have stubs in the frame, 
ing. as here the fibre oftens gets cut The draft gears should be examin- 
and looks cloudv and wavy when it ed by the section man occasionally, 
is delivered to" the calender rolls, who should see that the stud pin 
We should never allow this condi- is not worn off. for this will allow 
tion to exist, as we are sure to the gear to slip a little now and 
have uneven yarn from this cause, then and rosults in cut yarn. We 

We now come to the slubber, must keep in mind that improperly 
Here we must watch very carefully covered leather rolls will give a lot 
and see that the tension is kept of trouble and cause unevenenss in 
well regulated, otherwise it will the yarn, if we allow them to be 
cause trouble. If it is too tight or used. A burr on the steel roll will 
too loose, it will allow the roving to cause uneveness, a dry spindle will 
become stretched or rolled up cause improperly spun yarn, 
around the tops of the fiyers and it Next we come to the cone winder, 
will be drawn on the bobbins in We cannot change the yarn here, 
wads. but we can see that the winder roll 

79 



is kept free from burrs and see that a fuzzy-like appearance of the fibre 

the slub catchers are properly set when it is finished, as we can save 

to suit the yarn. Do not have them many a slub by giving it the proper 

set close enough to score or cause attention. 

Number Forty-One. 



By J. H. JENKINS, Hillsboro, N. G. 



I want to thank Mr. Clark for the through. Keep laps on steel rol- 

opportunity of allowing me to pub- lers clean. 

lish in his paper the opinion I have Slubbers should be kept clean and 

formed concerning "Cause and Pre- allow no hard ends to be made. B% 

vention of Uneven Yarn." sure you have the right draft on 

Keep your cotton as dry as pos- them. With this little trouble 

sible, as you cannot keep your num- eliminated, you will have good work 

bers even with running wet cotton for the intermediates, 

one day and dry cotton the next. I am sure that if the intermed- 

Different grades of cotton not mix- iates are kept clean and properly 

ed makes bad work on pickers and drafted, and no hard ends, singlings 

cards, in fact on all the machinery and doublings allowed to be made, 

used throughout the mill, such as you will get good results, 

speeders, spinning frames, etc. This will put the work to the 

Suppose you have 2 or 3 different speeders in good shape. Also keep 

grades of cotton to run. Run one the speeder room clean, in fact all 

grade and see that all the waste is of the machinery should be kept so. 

put in of that grade regularly each Do not allow bad work to be made, 

day as long as that certain grade Creel two rows of roving on each 

lasts. frame at intervals. 

See that the drafts on your pick- Have the leather rolls calipered 

ers are the same, so as to make the and put them in all frames as near 

laps even. Do not let your laps as possible the same size, 

vary more than one-quarter of a if the above rules are carried 

pound, if there is any variation at out, the spinner will have some- 

^'v .,, .. J , J thing with which to make even yarn. 

cti.1<?To i^^i^' T? H?f i l^^'o^ "^fh Of course the spinner must do 

vmir r!.m T'Ji Sif '^hl^'^hrnHc ^"s P^^t. He must uot allow bauds 
your mill, do not let the hands .„ ,\„ „ i „ ^ * n *■ 
pound the end out of these. Be to become loose, and not allow Ian- 
sure that the cards take out about ^^^S off. Do not give the spinners 
the same amount of flyings and more sides than they can keep up. 
strippings. Have the hands keep Take out all leather covered rolls 
the cards clean so there will be no that have become loose and have 
lint for the sliver to drag upon. them replaced with new ones. Use 

Put laps on even so as to prevent ^^^ "^^t size travelers and have 
thick and thin places in feeding, everybody stay on the job. 
Take out all thick places and sing- After these rules have been car- 
ling that should pass through the ried out, see if you do not have 
dofifer. Piece all ends. better and more even yarn, and 

See that vour drawing is kept "^^^^^ ^^^^-^^ running work, 
clean at all times. Be sure that I do not claim to know it all, nor 

your stop-off motions are in good to have told all. But I«have had 

shape, so no bad work will go sime experience in this line of work. 

Number Forty- Two. 



By W. G. HENDERSON, Columbus, Ga. 



I am entering the contest to learn prevention, for there are many, 

the views of others and to express throughout the mill, from mixing to 

some of my own on the cause of the finished product. I will now 

uneven yarn and the prevention of try to state some of them briefly, 
same. With the 25 years ex- The first is in the mixing of the 

perience I have had in the business, cotton. It will certainly make un- 

I am still learning the cause and even yarn if the mixing is not thor- 

80 



ough with all grades. Too much of is a good card draft. The piecing 

the same grade should not be fed here is another great factor in 

to machines at one time, for we all making uneven work by lapping 

know that first, second and third the ends over too far on the lap 

pickings are different grades, and just run out, which makes heavy 

by being well mixed in the per- places in the card sliver several 

centage ni motes and fly will be yards long. Teach the help to 

equalized in the picking process. piece right, so the card sliver will 

We now assume that the cotton is be uniform. Letting laps run out 

well prepared for making breaker will also make uneven work. The 

laps. Care should be taken to make sliver gets light and yards of it has 

all breaker laps as near the same gone to the cans and the card hand 

weight as you can, by regulating the does not always get it all out and 

feed to deliver same in each guage it passes on in your work, 

box. My opinion is that a great Now we supnose card setting to 

deal of uneven work is made in the be the same, or as nearly so as pos- 

picker room. As you know, railway sible. on all cards in the room I 

heads are very nearly things of the want to say that where more un- 

past and we must turn our atten- even work is made in the stripping 

tion to the picker room, for here plate settings, when they are over- 

we even work to start with. To looked and not given the proper 

make good even laps with a good attention. It does not show up 

;;elvago. you must keep your pick- very plainly, but the amount of 

ers clean inside, and all air flues strippings from each card should 

open and dampers set properly to be the same weight, if not, it will 

get a good sheet on your cages, all cause variations in the sliver, which 

depends on the length of the out- tends to make light and heavy 

let flues. In regard to fan speed to places. Dull licker-ins will also 

regulate the back lash in the air, make uneven work. The stock will 

fan speed runs from 1200 to 1500. be delivered to the cylinder in 

As w^e are counting the railway small flakes. This is what we call 

heads out, we must rest assured we cloudy carding, which we can 

must turn our attention to the plainly see in the web. The same 

eveners on the pickers. Now to result will also follow when the 

make even laps, you must use and licker-in screen is too far from the 

endless belt, one inch. Keep the licker-in wire. 

evener belt tight and run it near Now we take the card sliver to 
the center of the cones to allow the first process of drawing, where 
for variation. If the evener belt uneven work is caused bv the 
runs too slack, it will slip and cause spoons not working properlv. let- 
uneven laps. Never use oil on your ting the ends pass through the 
ovener plates, use graphite. Oil back rolls before the stop motion 
will make them stick. works, by the drawing tender hold- 
Now the laps comes next, and the ing on the shipper piecing ends, 
way to handle them. It will cause also making long lapped ends. All 
uneven laps if you use the same drawing frames have compound 
size aprons on your laps at the change gears which are used for 
same time. You must use two full condensing the sliver properlv, let- 
laps and two half full. This will ting the sliver sag just a little to 
keep the weight on your aprons avoid broken selvages. If the sliver 
regular. Also teach your picker is too tight, between front roll and 
help how to handle laps, as I have calender rolls, you will notice the 
noticed some handle them like they selvage looks ragged making uneven 
were cord wood. A lot of uneven sliver, which can be overcome by 
work is caused when placing the changing the compovmd gear one 
laps on, never allow the help to tooth, or it may call for two teeth, 
lap the ends too far, for this gives to get results. This articles does 
the evener too much work to do not refer to the draft, as we all 
and light and heavy places will go know what excessive drafts make 
by. Keeping up with these little uneven yarn. 

things overcomes the big ones and ^rg ^ow take the shell rolls into 

you will be able to keep the weights consideration. Shell rolls covered 

within close touch of the standard, ^yit^ blankets too thin will make 

Now we leate the picker room uneven work, as they are too hard 

with a good well-made lap, and and firm and will not draw the 

come to the cards. A draft of 90 stock uniformly. A good heavy 

81 



blanket make a good cushion, which rack gear, whereas he is not using 
rests on all fibres, drawing them the right compound gear. This 
more evenly. A thick skin or a thin will make uneven roving, and that 
one will make uneven work. All means uneven yarn. It takes a 
rolls should be calipered when put- practical man to master the card 
ting them in the frame, the same room, as it is the base of the mill, 
as spinning roll^. Never allow the and if the work is not made right 
practice of putting new cots on old ni the carding, you cannot expect 
blankets. it to be right in the finished pro- 

Now slubbers, intermediates and duct, 
speeders all have compound change I am writing this article to learn 
gears, the same as the drawing what makes uneven yarn and what 
frames. In some card rooms, the will prevent it. I trust that it will 
frames are running badly, ends cover some of the important points 
breaking down, running slack, espe- of the subject. We will not con- 
cially before the frame gets full, sider the settings, as all practical 
and some carders think it is the men know the right settings. 



Number Forty -Three. 



By W. G. YOUNG, Louisville, Ky. 



This matter has been so thor- heavy. There is more poor card- 

oughiy discussed in the past that ing today from crowding cards 

it is a difficult problem to bring out than from any other cause. A card 

any new points that all good card- is for the purpose of removing the 

ers and spinners are not already impurities from the cotton, and if 

familiar with. The following is we can remove all the impurities 

what I consider the chief causes the rest is an easy matter. The 

for uneven yarn: lighter we card, the more impuri- 

First. The cotton grader must ties we can remove. Most any man 
be a man of inteligence and must with ordinary intelligence can be 
know how to grade cotton. He taught to grind and set up a card 
should pull staple from each bale properly if given proper instruc- 
separately and get each mixing as tions. But no man can do good 
near the same length staple as pos- carding and crowd his cards, and 
sible. Staple of different lengths unless we get good carding we can- 
will not draft the same. Cotton not hope for even yarn, 
should be mixed twenty or more We now come to another import- 
bales at each mixing, taking an ant process, — the drawing. The 
equal amount from each bale. chief cause for bad work on the 

I shall not attempt to give any drawing is dirty rolls, especially 

certain rules for setting pickers or if metallic rolls are used, bad ten- 

any other machine; it is the opinion sion between front roll and calen- 

of the writer that a competent der rolls, and high speed. One bad 

overseer will know how to adjust feature about metallic top rolls on 

his machines to get the best re- drawing is the wearing of the 

suits in his own particular case. I shoulder, allowing the flues to go 

have a very poor opinion of a man too deep, causing the end to get 

wuij adjusts his machines a certain slack between front roll and calen- 

way because John Smith or Bill der rolls and allowing the sliver to 

Jones had them set that way. We go through the trumpets in lumps, 

must use our brains and adjust as soon as this is discovered the 

things to suit our own case. rolls should either be repaired, or 

I could say a great deal on split replaced with new ones. This can 

laps, but a competent overseer will be remedied for a long time by 

not permit split laps to run very changing the front top rolls from 

long. one stand to another. This is some- 

Tlie card is, in my opinion, a very thing that can not very well be 

important part of the process, taken care of by the compensating 

without good carding it is impos- gear, owing to one end running 

sible to get an even yarn. Poor slack and the other tight, 

carding is caused from bad cloth- We now come to the slubbers. If 

ing, bad tops, poor grinding, im- we deliver the sliver to the slub- 

proper setting and carding too hers in a good and even condition 

82 



we will have very little trouble spinning for uneven yarn are dirty 
producing an even slubber roving, steel rolls, bad top rolls, dry rolls, 
provided we kep the steel rolls worn bolsters, worn spindles, high 
clean and have giud top rolls, and speed, spindles out of plumb, gears 
keep them well oiled and cleaned, improperly set and long drafts, 
and run the proper tension. This Excessive draft is .equally as bad m 
also applies to intermediate and card room as in spinnmg room, 
line frames. Right here I want to Long tirafts are one of the chief 
say a few words in regard to ten- causes for uneven yarn in any of 
sion on intermediate and fme speed- the processes. Ihis is something 
ers. You can exercise the greatest that must have very close atten- 
care in all former processes and tion and must be arranged as short 
deliver your work to fme frames as possible m all processes. Many 
in perfect condition and then sp*il mi^s today are producmg uneven 
it all by not having the proper ten- yarn by trying to keep down the 
sion. A good carder will know how roll covermg cost, which is in the 
to gear his frames to get the proper writer s opunon very poor economy, 
tensions and when he has them In conclusion, I want to sa> a few 
right he must not allow his speeder words on efficient organization, 
tenders to take up and let off on Yoji must require every man to run 
the tension, as w. know they can his o^^ ^^^ - -PO|stient,\°o p^ 
not do very much damage by let- ^ ^^^ j; without the co- 

tmg oft on the tension But If they operation of all concerned. Each 
are permitted to let off on it they |^^ ^^e connected with the 

are sure to take up on it. I always different processes must do their 
impress it on the frame hand s ^t, and it is the duty of the over- 
mind that it IS just as necessary to geer to see that each one does his 
get the section man when his ten- part, and when anything comes up 
sion needs adjusting as it is for any ^^ produce bad, uneven yarn get 
other reason. j^^gy ^j^jj locate the trouble and re- 

Now, if roving is delivered to the move the cause. He can't do this 
spinning in good even condition, a by sitting in his office and talking 
competent spinner will not ex- the matter over, but he must get 
perience any trouble in getting an busy, find the trouble and remedy 
even yarn. The chief causes in it. 

Number Forty-Foui*. 



By J. A. ADAMS, Fitzgerald, Ga. 



k 



I would Ike to say that this is a 4 inches from the large end of the 

broad subject and one thing that has cone, so if one lap should get 

been somewhat neglected in the through, it will have lee-way 

Southern mills. The question is, enough to take care of it. The laps 

are we doing wliat we know ought should be weighed (by the yard) 

to be done? There is no one thing three or four times a week, to see 

that causes uneven yarn. whether the aprons are slipping, or 

Of course we will have to start i^ there is anything else wrong, 
in the opening room, which plays a Now we come to the cards. Every 

very important part. We should man has his own way of setting 

have two opening pens and keep them. Of course, they should all 

one day's run, properly mixed, be set alike for the class of goods 

ahead. The staple, of course, de- being made. Break the ends down 

pends on the class of goods being when stripping, and then wait until 

made, but in all cases we should the card fills up before putting them 

try and get as near the same length back. This is one thing that is neg- 

staple as possible for the goods we lected more or less. There is no 

are making. Keep the hopper from setting, within the bounds of rea- 

one-half to two-thirds full at all son, that will make as great a dif- 

times and see that the breaker fans ference in the weight of the sliver 

are pulling both sides alike. At the as this one thing, 
intermediates and finishers, see that The drawing frames, the worst of 

laps are kept on the aprons prop- all, come next. There is more bad 

erly. Evener belts should run about work made on drawing frames than 

83 



any other process in the mill. All 
the inexperienced help as a rule, 
as well as the cheap help, are plac- 
ed here to get their experience, and 
when they come to a singling or a 
heavy sliver they let it pass on 
through, if it will. The overseer 
should go over his drawing every 
day to see if all the weights are on, 
and that it is free from roller laps, 
top and bottom. Uneven weighting 
will cause great variation. Drawing 
should be weighed twice a day, each 
end separately, and the variation 
noted. Rolls should all be set alike. 
Help should not be allowed to set in 
all their cans at once, as this will 
cause a great variation. The full 
cans will weigh three to five grains 
heavier than when they are about 
empty. The calender roll change 
gears should be looked after and 
changed whenever needed. The 
ends should be run just light enough 
not to sag, so that they will not 
double and go in, causing a lump. 

Crooked rolls are bad things and 
will cause bunchy work. Slubber 
rolls should all be set alike, the 
leather rolls in line with the flutes 
of the steel rolls. Chokes should 
be kept off. Have plenty of rolls, 
and have them oiled well. Creased 
rolls will not pi^.oduce even work. 

Tire tension has a great deal to 



do, with even roving. Excessive 
twist is a bad thing, as it will cause 
the ends to stay up, even when they 
are too light. The twist runs to 
the weak part, and when it gets to 
the next process, the smallest place 
is the liardest to draw, and the 
middle rolls will steal from the back 
ones, causing varation. Cotton pack- 
ed in the clearers is a bad thing and 
will make heavy roving. Loose 
jionts, and dry rolls will cause 
bunchy roving and yarn. The 
weight levers on spinning should 
all be alike, so as not to have more 
weight on one roll than another. 

There are a lot more little things, 
too numerous to mention, that make 
uneven yarn. If we would all put 
into practice what has been said 
and w^hat will be said, there would 
be a great improvement in South- 
ern mills, I have had 27 years ex- 
perience in Southern cotton mills 
and have worked in about 25 mills, 
all the way from 15 minutes to 7 
years, and am sorry to say that a 
great many men are not doing as 
well as they can do. A little per- 
sonal attention goes a long way. I 
am not throwing stones at any one. 
I think almost any good mill man 
will agree with me. I hope we will 
all derive some benefit from this 
contest. 



c\iimbei' Forty-Five. 



By C. H. LOCKMAN, Fitzgerald. Ga. 



This subject, the "Cause and Pre- portant matter pertaining to the 
vention of Uneven Yarn," I consider manufacture of cotton goods. If 
one of the most, if not the most im- there could be an absolute remedy 

found to stop making uneven yarn 
it would benefit almost all mills, 
for all that I know any thing about 
make more or less of it. Of course 
the fiber can be damaged a great 
deal before it gets to the mill. In 
growing, picking and ginning, but I 
will not take up the causes until 
w-e reach the pickers. I know that 
when I say the pickers will cause 
it I will meet opposition, but I say 
it just the same, and believe I can 
prove it. I know we are supplied 
with eveners on our pickers to take 
care of thick and thin laps, but you 
can throw a lump of cotton behind 
a finisher picker and you will have 
a thick place after it passes 
through. On the other hand you let 
a lap run out and you will have a 
thin place. You may not detect it; 
but weigh it and you will find out. 
84 




C. H. Lockinan 

Fitzgerald. Ga. 



We will pass to the card. I claim on some rollers than others, some 

the card will make this uneven yarn hngers wrapped more or less than 

by throwing too much trash and others, where the operative is al- 

motes into the good cotton. An- lowed to monkey with the tension 

other way is for part of the sliver and run his ends tight and slack as 

to be running on the lloor while the tiie traverse traverses, lint and 

remainder is going into the can. trash runnuig through on the sliver. 

This will be light weight sliver and what is known as a half singling. 

I see no way in the world to rem- All these things will cause uneven 

edy it. yarn. These are the most principal 

We now come to the drawing causes on slubbers, intermediates, 
frame. All the machines up to now speeders, and jack frames, 
we have a chance to double and The spinning frame will make 
kind of even up the thick and thin uneven yarn by allowing a leather 
places to a certain extent, but can roll to become dry for want of oil, 
never fully repair them. I suppose running a bent steel roll, having 
the uneven yarn that is to be dis- your gears binding on your steel 
cussed in this contest is what is rolls, by letting your steel rolls be- 
commonly known and termed come dry and retard their speed, 
among mill men as thick and thin I have endeavored to give you a 
places alternating with each other few causes of uneven yarn being 
every three to six inches, and it is made in the manufacture of cotton 
made on drawing frames, slubbers, goods. I am satislied there are 
intermediates, speeders, jack frames many more causes, as what I have 
and spinning frames. And the cause given you is just what has come 
is most always some defect in the under by observation, 
running of the leather or steel Now, the next part of this subject 
rollers. When you state the cause is the prevention of uneven yarn, 
of one of these machines you come Well, it does look to me like that if 
very near stating them all, because we all knew the causes we could 
what causes thick and thin places very easily prevent, but as I said in 
on the drawing frame will cause it the beginning, I know of no mill 
on any of the succeeding frames. that is preventing, as all I know 

Take the drawing frame first, anything about make more or less 

Lint, clearer waste, and extra sliver of it. So that proves to me beyond a 

or any foreign matter passing doubt that there are some causes 

through the rollers will make a we haven't found yet, or at least we 

thick place in the sliver that can all haven't found them. Maybe 

never be remedied. Let a sliver after this contest is over we will 

break and the machine fail to stop, all know how. So the only preven- 

which is often the case, or the draw- tion I can give you for uneven yarn 

ing boy fail to take out the roving, is to stop the causes, and if the 

which is also very often the case, causes I have given you are correct 

and you have a thin sliver that can and I have found them to be in my 

never be remedied. You can fail to experience then if I will stop these 

get the gears set as they should be causes and keep them stopped, and 

and make uneven yarn. A bent stop any and all other causes that 

steel roller will make uneven yarn, will make uneven yarn and keep 

We now come to the slubber, them stopped, then I have solved 

There are many things to cause un- the problem of preventing uneven 

even yarn here, but I will only name yarn. And so long as I keep these 

a few. A bent steel roller, a dry top causes corrected and the machines 

roller, front steel roller running and help going right I will never 

faster than top roller, more weight have any more uneven yarn. 

Number Forty-Six. 



By E. L. GOBLE, China Grove. N. C. 



The cause and prevention of un- being carded, it will be found to go 

even yarn is a vital question and the through lumpy and very uneven, 
causes start back at the cotton gin. Openinji and Mixing. 

It will be found that if the cotton Opening and mixing are most im- 

is ginned while it is too damp, the portant things in making even yarn, 

gin saws will cut the staple and Cotton should first be bought as 

make it nappy and lumpy and on near one grade and length as pos- 

85 



sible. When opened in the opening 
room, it should be graded as it is 
brought in and as many bales as 
possible prepared for mixing at one 
time, say from 3 to 5 bales. Then 
take quantities in proportion, from 
each bale for mixing, and as much 
as one day's run should be opened, 
using the cotton from the top of the 
pile to the bottom. Keep the hop- 
per only about two-thirds full. 
Eveners should be very closely look- 
ed after and kept in good condition, 
and the ounce lap should be just as 
light as will keep up well. 

Cards. 

Cards should not be overdrafted 
nor the doffer speed too high. The 
setting of cards is a very important 
problem and should be looked after 
by an experienced and careful man*. 




E. L. Goble 

China Grove, N. C. 

They should be set even at each 
end. Sliver is very often strained 
by the cans packing under the cod- 
er heads too tight. 

Drawing Frames. 

The drawing frames are as im- 
portant a factor in cotton manufac- 
turing as any thing else and they 
get the least attention of any ma- 
chine throughout the mill. For 
good, even work, there should be a 
doubling of six and a draft of one 



inch to roll of sliver, making six 
inches draft. Rollers should be tak- 
en out and top and bottom ones 
scoured once a month. Every jour- 
nal should have the same amount of 
weight and it should be seen that 
the calender rolls do not take the 
sliver from the delivering sliver 
rolls fast enough to stretch it. 
Very careful attention should be 
given this. Tbe stop motions should 
be very carefully looked after and 
se . so as not lo make any singli::gs. 
Roller journals should be very care- 
fully oiled, as lack of oil will cause 
thick and thin places, which will go 
through the rest of the remainder 
of the processes of manufacture. 
The clearers should be kept clean. 
Keep rollers adjusted to suit the 
length of staple being used, as the 
poor setting of the rolls frequently 
causes uneven sliver which the 
slubber does not take out. Slub- 
bers should be set so as to build in 
proportion to the let-off of the ten- 
sion, so as to be perfectly uniform 
until the bobbins are full and knock- 
off, otherwise the roving will be 
stretched and thick and thin places 
made. 

Rollers must be closeiy looked 
after. Determine the average length 
of the staple being used and set the 
rollers one-sixteenth wider than the 
length of the cotton, being careful 
to have the leather rolls directly 
over the steel rolls. If possible, it 
is best to keep up a 3 1-2 inch draft, 
but if hard to keep up with in the 
next process, make it a draft of 4 
inches, not using any more twist 
than it takes to hold the roving up 
and turn the bobbin in the creel 
without making any stretch. Clear- 
ers should be kept clean and rolls 
well oiled. See if all bobbins are 
the same in diameter, for if different 
sizes are used it will cause uneven 
roving. Do not draft over 5 1-2 
inches for even work and do not 
allow speeder tenders to let off and 
take up tension, for if they do so, 
there will be stretched and uneven 
roving. 

Let twist be governed by the stock 
being used and be careful to put in 
onough so that it will not stretch in 
the spinning frame creels. Roving 
being too slack in the creels, or the 
'^kewer gathering waste around the 
bottom will cause uneven yarn. 

Spinning Department. 

This department has to take the 
stock just as it comes from the card 
86 



room, good or bad, and with the with lump oil, as this will cut loose 
roving coming from the card room all gummed and dirty spindles. See 
in perfect condition in every way, that the caps on the bases for hold- 
then the spinning, with proper at- ing the spindles down are kept on. 
tent ion to small matters will deliver If they are not, Ihe band will pull 
a good smooth quality of yarn. A the spindle up and make a bad 
few of the little things to watch bobbin. Make bands weigh 120 to 
are: First, the draft and twist. <he pound. Use roving bands, as 
Twist should be governed by the <-liese will fall off before making 
stock being used, the quality of soft yarn. Do not use too heavy or 
varn, the atmospheric conditions too light a traveler. One too light 
and several other things. The draft ^^''l ^^^ ^^e yarn whip against the 
should be standard according to separator, while one too heavy will 
staple of cotton. For single roving, strain tiie yarn and cause it to be 
a draft of 7, for double roving, a weak. Travelers should be examin- 
draft of not over 11 for good, even, ed quite frequently to determine 
smooth varns whether they are worn sharp. If 

Frames should be leveled and lin- ^T^^d"Ut1n'new'mfes^'Tte%T 
ed and spindles plumbed, top and ?,f/S?ells^hould" b'f clea^ned 'and 

^^^^°,"?V°"^®x^ ?-^^^-x. ^^^^® ^^?^^ oiled twice a week, 
should be set directly over the gee that the trumpets are clear 
spindles Have all draft and roller- ^f lumps. It is very important that 
gears set properly, as oft times the the roving guide traverse works 
crown front roller, or draft gear properly and traverses three-fourths 
will ride the other a tooth once m (^e len^^th of the roller. If the 
a while, causing thin places in the traverse is standing, the varn will 
yarn. Rollers should be set one- be found to be lumpy, thick and 
sixteenth wider than the length of thin, and very weak, 
staple being used. Rollers must be We will find that if the product 
oiled as often as twice a week, is treated right in the carding and 
Spindles must be well oiled about spinning departments, the other 
once. every three weeks, and about processes of manufacture will have 
once every six months, oil them with less trouble and produce much bet- 
spindle oil mixed about one-half ter goods. 

Number Forty-Seven. 



By E. L. SHERIDAN, Commerce, Ga. 



Cotton should have time to mature and some easy. All of these things 
well before it is picked. The gins should be closely observed to pre- 
should be properly set and the vent uneven and bad running work, 
knives should be kept sharp. Cot- The cotton should be well mixed 
ton should not ho ginned wet, or too ju the opening room and fed in the 
green. If knives are not properly hoppers regularlv, not too full, nor 
set and kept sharp, they will pull too empty, say two-thirds full all 
the staple or fibre from the seed m- the time. The heaters should have 
stead ot cutting. This will break the same speed on all of the break- 
the staple and nap it. which will ers and not loo mucli speed. The ma- 
cause uneven yarn. jQj.jt^, ^t" the mills are beating the 

The cotton buyer must have a cotton foo much. The air current 

standard grade and stick close to it. should be the same on all of these 

If he buys a 3 and then a. 10, to try machines. The grid bars should all 

and balance the prices, then you be set alike. In other words, tvhal 

have two extremes of staple. When vou want on these opener.s. inter- 

these bales are mixed, which is mediates and pickers, is uniformity 

bound to be done, it will certainly all the way through. The aprons 

cause bad yarn. The cotton should should he free and easy to run, and 

come from the same section of the be sure the evener works freely, 

country, or as nearly so as possible, There should be nothing to cause 

as different soils will cause the the cotton to hang or drag. This 

c-otton to mature ditTerently and will cause thick and thin places in 

will produce different lengths of the lap. The laps should not be 

staple. Some of it is hard to draft allowed to leave the picker room if 

87 



there is o-'er one-quarter of a pound whole thing. The help should be 

dilYerence lu them. If these ma- taught to place the drawings at the 

chines are not set up to do the same proper place and not try to throw 

work, one will clean its lap better the end of the drawing up to the 

than the other, then the card will mils and then si art the frame and 

clean them both and you have one i^,.pp tossing it up until it clatches 

light sliver and one heavy If this j,^ ^^^^^ jg ^,^^.^, frequontlv done 

h^w^nw^^ilShrTlh fhP n^nl »"<' *» ^^ill cause ^Uneven work, 
be wrong ail through the mill. <m v,v, j ii_ ^ ^ 

Cards are machines that should , Slabbers and other fly frames 

be looked after very closely. The ^^^ve their part in making uneven 

man who sets these machines J'a^n T^ey, hke all other machines, 

should be a verv pamstaking man should be kept clean and well oiled, 

and he should never be hurried especially. A good time to oil the 

whpn he is spffina un a card and rollers is every time they need it 

\uien he is setting up a cara, ana ^^^ ^^^ j^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ r^,^^ ^^^^j 

should not leave one lit lie thing nn- ^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ j,g cleaned twice a 

til he is satisfied, he is right. These ^^eek. Just a little lap on them will 

machines, like all others, should be cause a lot of bad, uneven w^ork. 

kept clean and well oiled. The The leather rolls should be watched 

card hand should be taught not to very closely and do not allow bad 

let any singling or doubling leave ones to be used. These machines 

the card. If he is required to splice should be lined and level at all 

it, 'break off half of it on each end times, especilaly the rollers. If the 

and not let Ihe splice be larger than rolls are not lined and leveled, they 

the regular size. The clothing are so long that the will jump and 

should be kept in flrst-class shape quiver, causing chaffed and uneven 

and tight on the cylinder and doffer. work which will not be detected 

The licker-in should be kept in until it gets to the spinning frame. 

good condition and not allowed to The tension is a very important 

run with saw broken off or bent point in getting even work on the 

down. The front of the card should fly frame. It should not be too 

be wiped off instead of fanned off. tight or too slack, and should be 

All of the above faults will cause very carefully looked after. No one 

unevenness and bad running work, should be allow^ed to take up on the 

Drawing frames have mighty lit- tension with the hand wheel. When 
tie attention paid to . them. Some this gets wrong the fixer in charge 
say they do not amount to much, should be notified and he should 
Well, it amounts to this: When 1 change the gear. I have seen the 
inch of cotton goes in and comes frame hands change them to suit 
out 6 inches, it is mighty easy to themselves, and they wall alwavs 
spoil the work. The rolls should be r^n them too tight. ' The lay gear 
properly set to suit the stock and should be changed to suit the hank 
staple. It is not worth while saying roving and not laid too close on 
how far apart the rolls should be. the bobbin, or not close enough, as 
for the different staple and light and either one wall cause the roving to 
heavy work require different set- be stretched at different points. The 
tings. The trumpets should be set tension is something that should be 
„o ^1^^^ +^ n,^ «<,i«ririQT. T^r^r^ic Qo r> c lookcd aftcr all the time from the 
as close to the calender roots as po^- superintendent down. Too much 
sible, for the further apart he attention cannot be given this one 
trumpet and calender rolls, the ^^^ing. Frame hands should be 
longer the stock is between these taught not to lap the roving over 
two points. This will have a ten- while creeling, nor just let one 
dency to stretch and break the strand of roving run through. Care- 
staple, lessness Here causes a lot of uneven 

The knock-off motion should be yarn. The roving traverse should 

very closely observed and kept free be m good working condition and !iot 

and easy to work. The weight must allowed to stand at any one point 

be the same on both ends of the top only long enough to change. Roving 

rolls. The rolls should be cleaned trumpets should be clear of chokes 

every week and all rough places at all times. The roving skewers 

polished, I have seen drawing must not be allowed to become 

frames that stretch the work be- blunt and hard to turn. The bob- 

tween the steel rolls and the calen- bins should be uniform in size and 

der rolls. This will sure ruin the be well cleaned before doffing. The 



llycrs should be clear of chokes high. About 2 inches is ail right 

an.l all rough places polished for them. Now see that the rolls are 

smooth. The fmgers should be well oiled. If they are dry they will 

smooth and easy on the roving. All cause choppy and uneven yarn. The 

of these things will cause uneven front foUs should be set to press 

yarn if not attended to promptly, and against the front part of the roller 

thev should be closely looked after, ^ar. f this roll Plajs back and 

An excessive draft here will cause I%'^*'l'J'' ^''i'' "n"^ ^!l^J^lu^Ji'il 

\ve an know mat it tne loving is t^^aveler will make bad yarn. They 
not even we cannot make uniform g,,„^,,^ ^^ j.,^ , P,ea,^ jf ,^g g,gg^„_ 

ma "h?ne ha'v^'"''no^ ev'enlr's SuT- ^^'^ ^^« ^«"«. have the spinners take 
^l.i !,« ho^^l o-^^H oJoJ?^^;,irCl ?-. the corner of their aprons and hold 

K/;ith^.^^^Thrwr!^inTrZu^^ ?;;ul.rout^^?>^o ^^etZ^s^ 

first thing wa would set in the rov- ^ht'^fj/b'ruit upXeVewers'^Ind 
ing and see that the roving skevyer ^^q^]^ ^p j^^e sets and stretch the 
is all right^not loo blunt nor too i-oving. Do not let spinners blow or 
sharp. Then v^ith the roving set, f^^^ ^gf g^i^les or back, as this will 
see that it is not out or broken, cause uneven yarn. Do not draft 
See that the roving trumpets are too heavy for it makes uneven work, 
chnui and free of burs or dents, and You will find that by drafting some 
that the roving traverse is running between the back and middle rolls 
its full stroke and does not hang on that vou will get smoother yarn, 
its change. Then see that the rolls There are a lot of things that 
are clean and good and that the top have not, and will not be mentioned, 
and bottom ones are both properly that will cause uneven yarn. Uni- 
set for the staple we are running, formity all the way through the 
They should be set just a fraction mill, with oversers and others in 
over the length of the staple. Then charge trying to make the work 
see that the proper weight is on all good for the next man, will help 
rolls. Don't let the lever get down more than anything <*.lse. 
on the weight board or get them too 



Number Forty-Eight. 



By H. B. McABEE, Laurinburg, N. C. 



Picker Room. cannot expect to get even yarns. Of 
There is so much said about mi- cour.se you will have to keep them 
even varn that it is impossible for ri^l^t, and I might tell you how to 
one man to suggest all points. It set a card, but it depends altogether 
might be caused bv neglecting the on what you want to make, and it 
picker room. The picker room is will have to be set and drafted 
even varn that it is impossible for "S^^t and all the lumps kept out if 
a very important place. There are you want to make good and even 
so many things said about pickers yam- 
that I don't know where to begin. ^ „ Urawing. 
Most people trv to crowd the cotton Drawing frames are most import- 
through too fast and expect the ant pieces of machinery and you 
cards to do the rest, but the cards have to have your rollers set ac- 
cannot do v^hat the pickers are in- cording to what staple of cotton 
tended to do. You must give the you are working. \our draft nnu,t 
cards a chance if vou want them to "ot be too long, not be oyei the 
do their part. Now. Mr. Overseer, doubling or less the doubling and 
I want you to see that vour pickers well kept to make good and even 

are doing their part. P'V" ,^°'''' ^f *'^^'' -fhlH Thh fh! 

" kept clean and varnished with the 

Cards. best varnish you can get. If you 

Cards are more important than have metallic rolls you must keep 

anv other machinery you know, and them very clean to make good even 

if "you do not get them right, you yarn. Suppose you have a 6 draft 

89 



on your first drawing and a 4 draft 
on your slubber, a 5 on your inter- 
mediate and a 6 on youi' tine frames 




H. B. McAbee 

Laurinburg, X. C. 

and a 12 on your spinning. Suppose 
you have one inch of doubling on 
your first drawings. Then it will 
give you 1,440 yards of uneven 
yarn, so you see that it won't do 
to make doublings or singlings and 
that is what makes bad numbers 
and bad running spinning. 



Roving. 

Roving machinery is another im- 
portant piece of machinery. Leath- 
er rolls must be covered with the 
best leather you can get and sized 
well, both ends must be the same 
size. Your steel rolls must not have 
loose joints in them, and your draft 
must not be over from 6 to 7, if you 
want good even yarn. Your rolls 
nmst be set according to the staple 
of cotton you are using. Lost mo- 
tion in your spindle shaft causes 
uneven yarn. Taking up and let- 
ling out on your tension causes un- 
even yarn. The tension is govern- 
ed by what hank cotton you are 
running, the twist you are putting 
in it and the cotton you are using. 
Tension is a thing that you must be 
governed by the climate and the 
temperature and the make of ma- 
chinery you are using. If you look 
after the little things you can pre- 
vent them from growing to be large 
things. 

Spinning. 

Spinning is the all-important 
thing. You must have no bad seams 
or lumps on your rollers and both 
ends must be the same size and 
oiled with good oil. See that no oil 
gets on your leather rollers and see 
that your spindles are properly set 
and plumbed and leveled at the 
l3ottom and top. See that your 
frames are leveled and lined. See 
that your thread guides and rings 
are set right and keep them cleaned 
for all these things causes uneven 
yarn. 



Number Forty-Nine. 



By W. J. JENNINGS, Gibsonville, N. C. 



The subject of the "Causes and 
Prevention of Uneven Yarn" has 
been very thoroughly discussed and 
very helpful to all who have been 
so fortunate as to read what has 
been said. There are a great many 
of us who cannot make our work as 
even as it is our desire to on ac- 
count of certain conditions that are 
beyond our control. But the sub- 
ject is a very important one and 
one that every superintendent is 
familiar with to a limited degree. 
It is every one's intention to make 
the very best yarn that is possible 
to produce under the conditions that 
he is laboring under. 

The first subject to take into con- 
sideration is the opening room, 

90 



which in my estimation is the most 
important. Where the room will 
admit it is best to open enough 
cotton for a whole week's run at a 
time and throw this cotton up in 
a large pile, taking some from every 
bale that is opened and make a 
layer the full extent of the room. 
As soon as one layer is made, go 
back over in the same manner until 
all of the cotton is thrown up. Then 
when this cotton is being run begin 
at one side and take it from the top 
to the bottom, cutting down as 
straight as is possible to do and in 
this way it will get thoroughly mix- 
ed. In feeding the breaker lapper 
it is best to keep the hopper as near- 
ly the same at all times as is pos- 



sible for if allowed fo vary in hop- cards could do their work riirht 

Rf Vcf ^?Pf '"'! ' ''^'^'' ^"^ ^^''^ ^ill "'en the cards would do theirs in 

be a start for the uneven yarn, but the same way Verv often whin 

If It can pass the breaker in good there is a presence of elPPtririTv in 

shape It will be so much the better, the caS room one side ofthe live? 

A 1 fans and air shafts should be will fall down and run for somP 

kep clean and free from foreign time and then the tender w 11 coSe 

matter so as not to retard tlie cotton along and put it up some Times iJ^t 

m Its course The next machine to taking out the light work hat haJ 

Now'tf'fhp*hfJ^^''T'^^"^H" '^PP^f- P^^««^ ''' ^0 the can and again we 
Now, if the breaker has done its have started an uneven work It 
work properly It is much easier for should be every carder sSre to 
th s machine to do its work. The eliminate every bit of singS nos 
intermediate has an evener on it sible, yet it will get by lii^! amj as a 

^^^ I tS/^ l^ndl^^ £ ^ -^^" St^?\^^\^^3 
then the^n^torSlate'Tapper can s"op'tran"on'' he^^PlPnf?^^,''"^"^ 
and will do better and more even Both should indwi if HnVh.^l '^°?- 
work than it could othprw7<sp Tho ,. .^i^9^^^ ^^d will do their work 

ne.n Sine ?o^cons'deris The' ele \rfcal^n'".t Sil'^'-V^^^ 
finisher lapper. if this machine gets St ^i'l t ^ oPinion, will allow 
its work from the other machine in ^'^^i '^^'^K ^° P.^^^ ^^er and the 
good shape and it is in good work- "/'n^lnT^H "^n^^ ^°^- , drawings 
ing order it will make good work ^*^^''y, ^? drafted up as light as is 
itself, but if the othlr^macWnes ?,?f \^'\^^ ^°- ^he fluted rolls 
have failed to make good then as 'H°'''^ ^^^ept we 1 cleaned and 
a natural result it wilf not make as SS Z^^Jll '°\^' '% ""^^ ^'^ 
good as it should. The eveners on ^'A. ^^ ^® ^^^'l"^ °^^ ^"^ cleaned as 
the intermediate and finisher lap- °^^^ ^' Possible, 
pers should be kept in good shape , .^^® ^^^^ ^^^^ pass on to the slub- 
and then know that they are work- ^'"^' intermediates and fine frames, 
mg well. Then there should be no i^^^"^' ^^^ know that these machines 
visible reason why the machines '^^^'^ ^^ important work to do and 
should not turn out even, or as 'should not escape our attention, 
nearly so, as could be expected These machines should be kept in 
These machines should be well clos- ^°°^ shape and well oiled. They 
ed in next to the floor so as not to sliould be properly drafted and if 
allow any more air to come in con- "^^^ ^^^^^ received their work in 
tact with the course of the cotton ^°°*^ shape and are in the proper 
than is really necessary. shape they will make good work. 

It is good policy to take down the We will now pass on to the spin- 
eveners every week or two and ning-room and there we can find out 
clean them up and keep them prop- whether our work is even or not. 
erly oiled. If they are thus treated ^^ the carding room has done its 
they will do very nearly the work work well and has made the proper 
that they are intended to do. Now hank roving for the numbers being 
taking for granted that the lappers *P"" and the spinning is in good 
have done their work well, we will shape, we will look for good varn 
pass on to the cards. They are like ^"*^' if either is lacking it will be 
a spinner placed in between the f^'^crent. The rolls on spinning 
carder and weaver, and has to should be oiled as often as is need- 
fake It whether it is right or not. ed and kept well picked and not al- 
ir It is right, so much the better, lowed to run sluggish, as this will 
but if wrong then there is more cause the yarn being spun on this 
talk. Cards should all have as near roll to be larger than one that is 
the same treatment as is possible to running free. Spinning should not 
give them. They should all be be flapped off or blown off while 
cased in good all around the floor running as lint will get on the yarn 
so as not to adniit an air current Now. last but in no wavs the least 
under the card. This will interfere the subject of oiling mu'st be look- 
nV^ Its course and will cause the ed into a little. All machines should 
card to throw out too much waste he kept well oiled and it is the 
and will make the sliver on this overseer's dutv to see that this is 
card lighter than on one that does woll done for it not only makes bet- 
not have the air current to contend tor work and more even work but 
with. If all machines up to the make the life of the machine longer 



Niimbep Fifty. 



By E. F. ANDERSON, Clinton, S. C. 



Ill discussing uneven yarn, which 
has given all carders more or less 
trouble, we start at opening room. 
We must have as near one staple 
cotton as we can get. Havo your 
(.•(•I ton opened up in a pile to run a 
day ahead. Don't have your laps 
too heavy on your breakers. Don't 
allow your laps to run singlings on 
your intermediate. Set your beater 
to the thickness of a two foot rule. 
Keep all laps off of feed roller. 

The same rule on finishers as on 
intermediates for good work. 

Now don't allow your finisher man 
to let his laps vary over one-fourth 
pound each way on your finisher 
laps. Go and weigh after your fm- 
i.'her man every few days; it will 
make him careful. Keep eveners in 
good working condition. Keep good 
cone belts on eveners. Don't allow 
section men to put buckles in cone 
belt. Have your laps v eighed once 
a day on intermediates. Keep all 
pickers well oiled and cleaned. 
Keep all gears set up as they shouli 
be. Now we have a good even lap 
up to our finisher. 

Now to the card. First, have your 
cards properly ground and set up. 
When the writer says "ground" he 
means, to be sharp so it can do its 
full duty. When he says "card set 
up" he means, set from top to bot- 
tom. 

Now ,a few things will cause un- 
even card sliver. When putting 
on laps, if you lap them over too 
much it makes thick places. In lay- 
ing down your laps, if you do not 
lap them enough it will make a thin 
place. In hauling them from picker 
room to cards tearing them up, 
will make uneven card slivers. To 
allow your cards to flap off will 
make uneven card slivers. To have 
your cone set too high or too low, 
will cause uneven card sliver. To 
not have the proper draft on cards 
will cause uneven card slivers. 

The writer could say a good deal 
more on the cards, but as we are lim- 
ited, will go to the drawing frame, 
where the writer thinks there is as 
much uneven work made, as on any 
other process in the mill. 

Now we should have the proper 
draft. Have your rolls set as they 
should be. Keep your knock-off 

92 



motions so they will stop when one 
strand of card sliver runs out. Don't 
allow the hand on drawing to start 
up drawing frame and make sing- 
lings. Don't allow your drawing to 
to be flapped off, as it will make 
lumpy work. For when you allow 
your drawing hands to flap off, you 
will make thick and thin places in 
drawing sliver. 

Have your section man to go over 
drawing and inspect it twice a day, 
and see if your drawing is cutting 
the sliver. Have your clearers kept 
clean. Have your draw hand to 
clean rolls once a day. Have sec- 
tion man to clean draw once a week. 
Have all trumpet holes the same so 
your sliver will all be condensed the 
same. Now we have good even work 
up to the finishers drawing. So far 
so good. 

Now to the slubber. First, have 
your slubber properly set up. When 
the writer says "set up" he means 
all gears set so they will not jar a 
man off of the floor. Have your 
drafts what they ought to be; four 
is a good draft on slubbers to make 
good even work. Have your top 
and bottom rolls set as close as you 
can get them, so as not to make 
hard ends. Keep your steel rollers 
well cleaned and oiled. Keep all 
laps off of steel roller ,that makes 
uneven work. Keep in good top 
rolls. Don't allow frame hands to 
slip in a solid roll in front where a 
shell roll should be. Have your 
shell rollers oiled once a week and 
have all arbors taken out and wip- 
ed off ^hen oiled. Don't allow your 
ends to run too tight. Have your 
tension gears changed as the weath- 
er changes, and as you change cot- 
ton. Don't have on too large gear on 
bottom cone, it will make your ends 
run too tight and stretch your rov- 
ing. Have your frame set up, so you 
will make a good smooth bobbin. 
Be sure and put enough .twist in 
roving. There are more of us who 
don't put enough twist in roving, 
than there are who put too much. 

Now to intermediate and fly 
frames. Have all gears set up in 
good shape on intermediate and fly 
frames .as on slubbers. Don't allow 
your spindle gears set too deep. 
Don't allow steps to run dry. Keep 
all parts of machine well oiled, and 



keep ,11 good set of rollers. Don't to speeders. How did we get this 
allow frame hand to run in doub- good work? By having a eood set 
lings while creeling frame. Don't of help, and them watching their 
let frame hands make singlings and business, we will be able to keep t 
doublings. Don't allow hard ends this way. ^ 

made on speeders. Now to spinning room. Keep all 

Most carders watch hard ends skewers in good shape, and guides 
on slubbers and intermediate but ]^'Ped out. Rollers well oiled, and 
M When it comes to making hard ends ^^.^R, '" ^^^^ ^^^ of rollers. The 

^ on speeders they don't many of us "^'ddle top roll should be as good as 

watch it as closely as we should ^^^^^ ''""• ^^^p all draft and 
Now watch your tension gears. The ^^^^^ ^^ar.s properly set. Keep all 
writer thinks there are more thin ^°''^ ^^'' cleaned. Where flutes are 
places made by the frame hand tak- ^"^"' replace them with new ones, 
ing up these ends than most any ^^'^^ ^" spmdles well oiled and well 
other one thing in the mill If the ^^^- ^*'®P ^" ^^^^^ bands off. Keep 
ends run too slack, the frame hand "" ^^^^ travelers. Keep out all 
will tell you about it. If they run f'^^cked spindles. Keep all spinners 
(00 tight, they are not apt to say ^''^"^ dabbing up ends. Teach them 
anything about it. Don't allow ^^ *^'^^ *''^®'" ^P- 
• frame hands to fan off frames and ^'ow a few things to keep doing- 
let lumps go through on roving. Keep after your pickers, keep 
The writer thinks it is 0. K, to fan a^'ter your cards and keep after your 
off just before you go to doff, and drawing. 

don't let loose cotton go through Keep after your slubbers and in- 
until after you doff, as you know termediate. 
the spinners always pull off the lirst Keep after your speeders, 
half layer anyway. Keep after your spinners. 

Just a few more things and we And keep after your job, whether 
will go to spinning room. Now we the superintendent keeps after you 
have good even work from pickers or not. 

Number Fifty-One. 



By L. W. KING, Avondale, Ala. 



I will try to give a few things Another time I had 7 slubbers, 14 
that are overlooked by the over- intermediates and 40 line speeders 
seers and that cause uneven yarn. The intermediates and speeders ran 
<-°/!^^ ^ ^ ^^^"^ ^"°°^^ *^ ^ "^i'l w6l^ ^^^ the numbers were so un- 
nl th^ K ^P'"^^®s. The opener was even. I did not like t« talk about 
?nnm vx.« nn\hrH^"w'^i^^ P^^^^^^ Spinner, so I went 

d?d not have d?aft enoui'^tn n^ll ^" ^^e slubbers I found the hands 
rie 2ot\on up an^rw^ouldt<Lk ^^ways working with the tension. 
The selvage on thp an anH ^° ^ changed the cone gear one 
pa i«5pH fhfn r.io^L n F T tooth and the lay gear two teeth and 

rmV ?hP nn.n^l^''^' n ^^^^ '^P^,- ^ ^^t the tensin right so I had no 
i-Hh fhl ^^-fi^ °" "'^ !^"^® ?^°^ kick from the spinner about uneven 
rhipfnbP"^^''''"''"]:^''^.'^^^ ^^^" yarn since. I find that so many 
ablpokoopniy numbers clospr. At overseers look to the second hand 
one time I had trouble with my to keep the numbers, and I think it 
drawing frames and could not get is wrong. I always do the sizing 
the cans to fill up, so it would myself, and can always tell how the 
run out at the slubber. I changed numbers are running, 
the speed of my coilers, running ^ could give a number of other 
them slower, and that helped my 'hings that cause uneven yarn, but 
numbers. Up to that time the draw- L^^^® \^^^ ^^^^^ ^° mention a few 

ing would break back, and a great '^'"^-^ ^^^^ "^'^^ ^.^'^^'i^^H'-.M^'M-^^" 

manv timp<! if wn,iiH ttr^^t^h tu ^^^ '^ '^ watch the little things 

Hr.win.i .1/ ^^^^^""^ ^^^ ^lose and keep them straight, and 

drawing and cause unevenness and the big things will show up for 

not break back. themselves. 

93 



Number Fifty-Two. 



By J. B. Floyd, Schoolfield, Va. 



I will start at the opening room. 
As many bales as possible should 
be opened at one time. They should 
be carefully graded to get a staple of 
an even length and allowed to stand 
at least 24 hours before using, so 
that the cotton will become more 
normal. 

Next we come to the picker room. 
The hopper should be full at all 
times. The trunk should be care- 
fully watched and the cage in the 
breaker kept about half full. The 
beater should be well oiled and free 
from dirt. The air current should 
also be watched, so the lap will not 
be split. Next comes the apron. It 
should be kept in good condition. 
The laps should be run two small 
ones and two large ones, so they 
will not run out at the same time. 
The evener belt should work freely, 
and should be cemented. If a lap 
split it should be taken off and run 
over. The fmisher picker should 
also be kept in good condition. The 
evener belt should run on the cen- 
ter of the cone. The lap should be 
carefully weighed by a competent 
man. and if there is a variation of 
one-half pound, it should be run 
over. If the laps are left on the 
floor they should be covered with 
burlap to proM^nf fhp flying lint 




J. R. Floyd, 

Schoolfield. Va. 



falling on them. 

We will now go to the cards. I 
will not give any rules for setting, 
but will presume that the card is 
in good condition. I will just follow 
the lap. It should not be put up too 
long before ready for use, or the 
filling lint will stick to it. The lap 
should be pieced to the other one 
just as it is running through the 
card, and if it begins to split, it 
should be replaced with another 
one. When the card is stripped the 
first part of the sliver should be 
taken out of the cans. Also, when 
that line of cards are doffed, the 
cans should not be all carried to 
the same drawing frame. The 
roving at the drawing frame should 
be pieced in and not allowed to run 
out one can at a time and the oper- 
ator should not be allowed to throw 
the end in, but should lay it in spoon 
and then take out the sliver that 
first runs through the coiler. The 
spoon and stop-motion should be 
watched to see that they run 
smoothly, for if the sliver is right 
here it will not give much more 
trouble and in the picker room is 
where the changes should be made. 
The fly frame should not be chang- 
ed. The rollers should be taken out 
and cleaned once a week. They 
should be oiled and all parts kept 
clean. 

I will take up the next three or 
four processes as a whole. When 
creeling, the operative should not 
piece in too long an end. The gear 
should be in good condition, and 
use a medium draft. The cots on 
the rolls should be carefully gone 
over and strips kept adjusted so as 
not to rub the steel rolls. The ten- 
sion should be changed by the fixer 
and not by the operatives. The 
frames should not be fanned off. 

In the spinning room, first the 
spindles should be plumbed, guide 
wires set, roving traverse in good 
working condition, saddles kept oil- 
ed and stirrups adjusted so as not 
to rub the steel rolls. The levers 
should be set level, and the top rol- 
lers kept in good condition, back as 
well as front. A roller that is not 
fit to run in front is not good 
enough for the back. The opera- 
tives should not fan out or blow out 
the guides at any time. They should 



94 



be wiped out once a day. Roving Steel rolls should be kept clean and 

should be lifted once a day. The smooth. 

top rolls should be gept clean and I will stop with this. Keep as 

the top clearers picked twice a day. good men as you can get and pay 

The gears should be gone over to them for the work and you will get 

se that there are no teeth out. good results. 




95 



IM Richard-Hinds Light-Running 
Roll Especially Adapted for 
Spinning Frames 

Do you want better Spinning^ 
Do you want stronger Yarn. 

Do you want to reduce your ^ 
Lap Waste on Spinning • 

Do you want to save leather covering ^ 
on Middle Line of rolls • 

Do you want to Elim- ^ 
inate Cockle Yarn • 



Do you want to eliminate the setting and re- ^ 
setting of rolls for different staples of Cotton. 



If so, equip your Spinning Frames with the 
RICHARD-HINDS ROLLS, of which over 
400,000 Spindles have been equipped to date. 



All Machine Builders are Agents, and 
will quote prices for new work. 

For Further Particulars and Prices 
write to 



The Metallic Drawing Roll Company 

INDIAN ORCHARD, MASS. 



SACO-LOWELL SHOPS 

TEXTILE i 
MACHINERY 




Spinning Frames of Improved Design 
Tape or Band Spindle Drive 

W I T H 

Self -Locking Belt Shippers 



>VE ALSO BUILD 

CONVEYING SYSTEMS 

PICKERS SPOOLERS 

CARDS SLASHERS 

DRAWING WARPERS 

EVENER DRAWING CONE WINDERS 

CARDS REELS 

ROVING ' LOOMS 

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT FOR RE-WORKING WASTE 



-SHOPS A.T- 



BIDDEFORD, MAINE LOWELL, MASS. 
NEWTON UPPER FALLS, MASS. * 

EXECLITIVK OFFICES 

BOSTON, MASS. 



ROGERS W. DAVIS, Southern Agent 
Realty Building : : CHARLOTTE, N. C. 



